JUST IN CASE FILES: Fangs for the Memories
by Sweetwater Gal
Summary: Justin Russo; brother, private eye, and family wizard. Welcome to his hell.
1. Chapter 1

**Just In Case File # 001 - _Fangs For the Memories_**

**Summary:** Justin Russo; brother, private eye, and family wizard. Welcome to his hell.

**Rating:** T for language and adult situation.

**A/N:** So I was reading one of my mystery books, while having WOWP play in the background. It was the episode where Alex was being mentored by Larritate and she was solving all these minor crimes. That's when it hit me… What-if Justin, akin to Dresden and other hard-core gritty gumshoes, and Alex lived in NYC solving mysteries together? Huh? Anyway, I'm going to give it a shot. The full draft is already halfway done and quickly wrapping up so I figured I'd post the first chapter and see whether or not it'll take. I'll still end up posting the entire thing whether I have an audience, but I do want to know what you all think. So enjoy and read and review!

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing. Except for maybe an original character or two. Liberties were taken and toyed with when it came to locale and situations… So yeah.

**_~~*~~_**

Harry Potter got it wrong.

Magical people are not born with spirit animals to guide and protect them (if anything, you mispronounce a word, you'll end up being eaten by the spirit animal you've summoned). There are no glowing bouncy balls (I _know_ they're not bouncy. Sarcasm, heard of it?) that hold the truth to your pre-destined life. There are no ghosts of dead parents that watch over you (maybe nag and moan, but no parental advice given because they're too busy whining about being dead!). There are no such things as flying cars (flying carpets, sure, but those suckers give you wicked rug burns if you get into an accident). And there are no flying broomsticks (seriously, why would you want to hold something that gives you splinters right near to your _stuff_?).

There. I said it.

Sorry to burst your pretty Technicolor bubble on the awe and enchantment of magic.

Sure you can argue that Harry's seen his fair share of death and destruction and evil doings, so what the hell am I talking about "technicolor" and other bullshit?

And you're right. The lucky bastard has seen his fair share of craptastic hitting the fans.

I don't have a psychotic zombie-looking evil wizard after my thunderbolt tattoo wearing head…

Nor do I have a plucky no-it-all gal Friday helping me with my spells…

Nor do I have a bumbling best bud that has a family I've been dying (heh) to join…

Nor do I even have an owl to carry my damn mail (then again, that's what's emails are for)…

I'm just an average twenty-eight year old male wizard.

… who's mother is in frozen animation the likes of Han Solo.

… who's father "committed suicide" because he couldn't live with the guilt of sending said mother to her icy grave.

… who's little brother is an indie journalist in the mortal world, but a traitor to our wizard secrets in mine.

… who's little sister had been declared a criminal by the Wizard Counsel, and now must make amends by being under "house arrest" _under my supervision_ (yeah, and whose punishment is this?)

… who often get's hired by said Wizard Counsel to work on freelance cases (like the one about some mortal that had been selling Ecstasy-like potions to WizTech students; FYI: it was my sister).

Yep. I got it made compared to Harry.

But then again, I'd like to see Harry try to save his sister (okay, he doesn't have one but theoretically let's give him one!) from a flesh-eating goblin, all the while you've been pined down by some magical force _and_ you've got your dominant arm pulled from its socket and is in a yoga potion you never knew possible!

My name is Justin Russo. Welcome to my hell.


	2. Chapter 2

**Just In Case File: 001 - Fangs For the Memories**

**Summary:** Justin Russo; brother, private eye, and family wizard. Welcome to his hell.

**Rating:** T for language and adult situation.

**A/N:** So, keep in mind that this is a Future-Fic. Anything "past, present and future" related are taken liberties to fit this storyline. Basically AU if need be. Also, I apologize beforehand if some of my Jalex scenes are teetering on that edge of "incesty" vibes … I'm trying to keep a fine balance of brother/sister relationship and yet the way they are around each other is questionable. Kind of like the show/movie itself… And no, don't have a fit, I'm not going there but damn if it isn't fun to push the envelope. Same rules apply, read and review.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**_~~*~~_**

_Two Weeks Ago…_

I don't hate my job.

"You've been summoned."

Okay. Scratch that. I _dislike_ my job.

"_Again._"

With an added; I _dislike_ my sister's snotty attitude.

"Gee, I can feel the love, Alex."

"Oh bite me, Errand Boy." She flashed a sneer my way, which in essence kind of matches the white gold choker with a diamond center around her slender neck. Gone was the annoying young Alex of old, the one that would wear fall earthy colors and peace signs. Here in her place was a taller, slender, Goth version of my she-devil incarnate. Thankfully she had eased up on the black makeup and decided to be au natural… Because honestly, her scowl was already scary enough without all that black crap on her face.

I glared back at her, "Errand Boy? That's pretty tame, even for you."

Alex has every right to be bitter about the Wizard Counsel (the ones that had sent me the fax she had given). After all, they were the ones that had hired me to seek the mastermind behind the Ex-Potential drug craze that was running rampant at my old wizard school. And in my defense, I had no idea -- at the time -- that she was the said "mastermind."

I was hired to do a job that paid… satisfactory. Hell, who was I kidding, a struggling private eye needing cash to survive? When a big powerful organization expects you to do a job; you do it fast, you do it right, and you do it clean and without signs all pointing back to them. You do the job to their specifications; well, let's just say that I freelance myself to them once a month and every other case I complete afterwards is just out of pure fun and curiosity.

So yeah, it kind of pays to be mocked with the title "Errand Boy." Especially if the envelope of cash is as heavy as Alex's grudge against them.

She waved her hand absently, "Sorry. Haven't had my coffee yet. I'll mock you with a better name once I get my fill." And with that she headed outside my small office, to probably sit at her "desk" and ignore incoming phone calls, faxes, leave the snail mail unanswered, surf the World Wide Wiz Web as opposed to checking emails, and get her fill of coffee without so much as bringing me a cup.

Best damn secretary I never had to pay for.

**_~~*~~_**

So I've been summoned. Again.

My eyes trail absently over the letterhead.

"_Dear Mr. Russo… _blah, blah, blah… _you've been summoned… _blah, blah… _urgent matter…_ blah, blah… _due to past jobs…_ blah, blah… _high recommendation…_ blah, blah… _discuss the urgency in person…_ blah, blah, blah… _four o'clock, Thursday… _blah… _Skylight Café…_ blah, blah… _Sincerely, from the Office of Chase Worth."_

After years of putting up with Alex, you end up teaching yourself how to wade through and ignore all the bullshit.

I reached into my jacket, pulling out the gold pocket watch my parents gave me upon graduating college and checked out the time.

Great. I had a few hours to kill until my meeting with Chase.

"Hey Alex!"

"Busy!"

"Doing what?"

"Ignoring you!"

I rolled my eyes. What're we? Teenagers again?

I wished.

Life was a lot easier back then; I had friends, a promising future, a pretty vampire girlfriend, a snarky sister that had yet to be criminally convicted, a dim-witted little brother that worshipped me, and two loving parents that weren't dead or a popsicle (respectively).

I got up from my seat and was about to inform Alex of our plans when I realized I had almost forgotten something.

Because this was an "official" Wizard Counsel fax, I reached back to my desk, picked the fax up, balled it up, flicked my right wrist, and engulfed it to cinder.

Boy those high ranking officials are a bunch of closeted paranoid freaks.


	3. Chapter 3

**Just In Case File: 001 - Fangs For the Memories**

**Summary:** Justin Russo; brother, private eye, and family wizard. Welcome to his hell.

**Rating:** T for language and adult situation.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing. Except Chase. And the Skylight Café. And Barry. Whom will be revealed.

R&R and most importantly, Enjoy!

**_~~*~~_**

We were late.

We would have driven down sooner if traffic hadn't been--

Nah, I'm just playing. Traffic is shit in New York City. We knew better than to just _drive_ from West 31st street (where my office space is located) to West 16th (where our meet-up was to take place).

The old Justin would have freaked out and run into the café, arms waving and stuttering an apology for the next half-hour.

God, I was such a geek.

Alex leaned into me as we casually made our way over to Chase's table. She murmured my exact thought, and all I could reply back was with a smirk.

We were late. Intentionally.

Because despite my reputation for working with the Wizard Counsel, I'd had still built enough fear from others not to be considered as their "Errand Boy." As far as everyone's concerned, _they_ don't make _me_ work for them, _I_ make _them_ work to my advantage.

God I've been hanging out with Alex too long.

I noted that a few patrons in the café took a glance our way and quickly ducked their heads. Tourists.

At least the regulars have the decency to nod their head in acknowledgment before shying away from us in fear.

Wait, make that "us" a "me"… Alex is one that most guys can't help but stare, despite her Gothic appearance. Me? I'm not handsome (regardless of the looks), and yet I'm not butt-ugly either. I know I look mean because most of the time I feel it. I'm sure it doesn't help that I sport a black trench coat all the time (where did you think I hid my gun or my silver wand?), or the nasty scar I have across my left eye (no, I don't wear an eye patch… what the hell was I thinking back then?).

"I can never understand why you refuse everywhere _but_ this place of all places for us to meet-up." Chase shifted uncomfortably in his seat as Alex slowly sat herself in front of him.

The Skylight Café's owner, Barry, _loved_ irony. Go ahead, take a moment to imagine what it would look like just based on the name. Okay, so take that image, do a total 180 flip, add a couple of dank tables here, chairs that make toilets look good enough to eat on (which is why Alex never wears skirts when I take her here), waitresses with sour attitudes _on their good days_, and the added fact that the café is actually a bar. Oh and the bartender is one big ol' son of a bitch that has made steroid-induced wrestlers cry with just one withering look (something that Alex's been trying to master).

Barry, owner and bartender, loves _her_ some irony.

Chase smirked as I pulled up a chair. "Then again, have you seen your sorry asses? If I bring you two to the nearest fast-food joint, even the translucent lights make you look sickly. I suppose at least here you blend well and _not_ stick out like a sore thumb."

Chase Worth. If I was the so-called "Errand Boy" for the Wizard Counsel, Chase was the bitch in heat. Always so eager to do their bidding. Always reporting back to them, like the good tattle-tale that he is. It doesn't help that he looks nothing at all like a greasy snitch and more like a former James Bond, sleek black hair and charming snake-in-the-grass smile.

What's even more screwed up; Chase opens his big mouth to spill secrets that will "benefit" the Wizard Counsel, and they appoint him with the highest honor… while our brother Max opens his big mouth to tell the mortal world about magic, and they placed a bounty on his head were he to ever step back into our world.

But other than that, Chase was the public face for the Counsel so technically he's just doing his job (throwing in his sunny attitude as a bonus) by being our handler for the cases they're worried lesser hands screwing up. So I hold no real grudges against the guy.

Alex might though… But that's what she gets for having slept with him once.

"Speaking of sore thumb," Alex smirked, "have you figured out how to remove the one from your ass?"

"Oh Alex," Chase chuckled, "just as pretty and crude as the last time we chatted. Tell me, how's your gag reflex lately? I seem to remember that when we were together… you kind of had a problem with that."

She pointed at her diamond choker, "Not since your sugar daddies planted this bitch of a device around my neck. By the way, have I thanked you for suggesting this as my punishment? No?"

Before Alex had a chance to attack him from across the table, I slammed my left fist down to gain his attention. My voice was controlled despite my own anger wanting to flay him.

"Enough." My eyes stared Chase down despite adding, "The both of you."

Chase, wimp that he was, "I will if you keep that bitch on a leash-- oh wait, she already--"

He never had a chance to finish. Don't say I hadn't warned him.

As his face started turning a nice shade of Smurf, I said, "Chase… enough. Got it?" To emphasize my point, my left hand clutched onto empty air again, thus magically tightening his neck and basically cutting off his oxygen.

He managed to hold out a thumbs up before I was satisfied to let him go.

"Awww…" Alex sighed, holding up her cell phone, "Look Justin! My new wallpaper!" She sneered at Chase, "You look so pretty."

"Alex." I sighed.

She rolled her eyes at me. Well, at least she didn't pout like the last time I ruined her fun. "Whatever," she stood up, making the chair scrap loudly against the bar floor, "I'm grabbing a drink. What're having? Nothing. Okay, bye."

Chase, whom already had the foresight to order himself a drink, held his Corona up and nodded after Alex. "Sweetheart that sister of yours is. By the way, why is she here? Not that I don't enjoy seeing her pretty face…"

"She's here because I'd rather her inflict damage to her liver than to my office. She's taken to playing with spray paint, lately…"

I leaned forward in my chair, slightly glancing around before I locked eyes with Chase. "And by the way, just because you screwed my sister and I let you live; doesn't make us friends. What do they want?"

I watched him gulp back a nervous laugh, because he knew that I wasn't joking. After a moment's pause, allowing him to drink up the rest of his beer, Chase reached down into his briefcase and pull up a manila folder.

"Uh… you, uh… you heard about what happened to the W.D.A Andrew Rhodes?"

Wizard Defense Attorneys (W.D.A.) were much like their mortal equivalents. The big exception being that while they all work for the Wizard Counsel, half of them are totally corrupt and the other half are complete pusses… Okay, so maybe there wasn't much of a difference.

I shook my head, despite already knowing the answer.

Chase sighed, because he knew it too.

"You just want me to waste my time telling you about a case that you're probably going to turn down anyway."

I folded my arms and grinned. "And miss out on the chance of you getting winded? Besides, since when do I ever turn down easy money?"

Chase scratched his head and feigned stupid (which sadly wasn't a stretch). "Gee, I don't know… By the way, what did you spend the money on for that Ex-Potential case?"

My smile dropped.

"Oh, that's right! You refused to get paid turning in your sister." Chase rolled his eyes, "Despite the fact that they practically offered a monetary equivalent of a small island! You do realize that not taking the money was the reason they're bankrolling your _warden_ duties for your sister, right?"

I shrugged and slumped in my chair, still not smiling. "Someone had to pay for her shitty secretarial service. Not to mention for someone as skinny as her, she eats like a pig!"

From the bar, we heard Alex cry out, "What'd you call me?"

I glanced at her while pointing at Chase, "He called you a pig."

A small smirk played on my lips as I heard Chase gasp and start to stutter words to save his ass. See? And this is why he should never provoke me.

I could see Alex's fist clench as she glowered at him.

"Okay!" Chase stood up from his chair, "You know what? I don't need this! Regardless of what you see me as, I actually _am_ an important member in the Counsel."

Of course he is. Because we all know that every ruling class needs an ass-kisser.

I chuckled before reaching out to his arm and pulling him down. "Relax, Chase. Just sit down and get on with the case file. I'll hold Alex off 'til then."

He eyed my sister, who, from the corner of my eye, I could see whispering something to Barry. "Really?"

I crossed my fingers, "On Merlin's book." Though I didn't promise holding Barry back, who looked like she's been hitting the gym after hours.

"Okay…" He began once more, "Anyway, _as you probably know_, Rhodes's body was found by his wife, who had arrived home from a girls' night out. His neck was broken and he had bled out…"

"But they found the guy that did it." I nodded, well aware at the satisfied grin on Chase's face. Yes, I knew about it. This is what happens when your brother is a journalist and you yourself spend half your life in the wizard world.

"Yes, they did. Caught her red handed and all too willing to take the blame."

I had to admit, I don't do shock. At least not for a long, long time… Seen enough crap happen in your life, you tend to become numb to surprises.

I raised my brow, "Her?"

He quirked a small grin, "His mistress."

"That wasn't mentioned in any newspaper I've read."

Chase still held the manila folder tight, making me wonder whether he was going to let me have a peek. This action, of course, set off a silent alarm that something wasn't right.

"That's because we haven't released that little tidbit until we know for sure that it was her."

Something clicked. "So you need _me_ to help you build a case against the girl? Despite catching her in the act _and_ her admittance to murder?"

"That's the thing. She _wasn't_ caught killing him. It's true that she had stated that she was the one who did it, but any half-wit defense lawyer could prove either insanity or circumstantial. She was caught in the bedroom standing over his dead body, his blood all over her. But there was no weapon, her teeth were pearly white, and they couldn't find an ounce of his blood in her system…"

I held my hand up, "Wait… what?"

Chase had the balls to ignore my halts as he continued. "The Counsel had no doubts she did it, but they're worried, especially with her kind, that there might be backlash. So yes, Justin, they want to hire you to find hardcore evidence that she did it." He reached down into his briefcase again, this time pulling out an envelope that looks like it's carrying a manuscript for _War & Peace_. "This is what they're willing to pay you just for saying 'Yes.' They'll give you more once you've done the job."

Okay… I'm not an idiot. Obviously there's more to this story than meets the eye. My instinct smells a rat… and not just the one that's crawling around the bar stools.

"What's the catch?" I glared.

Now this was Chase's first mistake. He blinked, dumbfounded, "Catch? What catch?"

I eyed the manila folder he was so intent on clutching like a security blanket. "I may be a private dick, but I'm not yours… So don't bother playing with me."

"Screw you, Russo." He sneered, thus dropping the innocent act.

"What's the catch?"

"Just say you'll take the case."

"Chase… don't make me sic Alex on you."

Upon hearing her name, "What'd you say, Justin?"

I gave Chase one more chance -- worth at least two seconds of us staring each other down -- before I smirked, "Don't say I didn't warn you…" I tossed a glance towards Alex, "Hey, Al, so Chase was just telling me to screw--"

"Okay! Okay!" He jumped out of his seat like something had bitten him on the ass. As he did so, he tossed the manila folder on the table and proceeded to grab his belongings.

"Thank you." I beamed cheekily at him.

"God, you Russos are manipulative!" He shuddered. "So I take it that you're taking the job?"

I grabbed the thick envelope and almost felt my arm drop because of the weight. Damn. "Just as long as whomever this girl is isn't related to me."

As opposed to leaving the bar with his tail between his legs, Chase made an attempt to man up and grow some. With a casual glance at Alex, "Nah… the W.D.A. wasn't into beastiality."

I shook my head.

The moment his hand was on the door, I called out, "Hey Barry, the guy over there just called your momma a goat."

I don't pay much attention to scuffles and fights that don't involve me. Especially since I get into my own shit way too much that it's nice to have a reprieve every once in a while.

"You know I overhead everything, right?"

Alex made her way back to the table, all the while handing me a beer as well. As she poured herself a shot of tequila, I smiled, "You complaining?"

Her smile was the only bright thing lighting up this darkened hole in the wall. "Nah… I just wanted to commend you on using Barry." She winked at me, "You know she would have preferred you using her in _other_ ways."

I took a long hard gulp, "Yeah… no."

"So what you got there, private dick?"

Ignored her jab, "Heard of the W.D.A. Rhodes?"

"No."

"Didn't think so."

"Don't know who he is, but I'm guessing he got whacked and now the Counsel wants you to find who did it?"

"First of all, you've been watching _way_ too much mobster movies. And second, no, they know who did it. They just want me to build a case for them."

She took another tequila swig, "So basically it's more boring research that any monkey can-- Oh, wait! That's why they hired you!"

I sighed. Some things never changed. I nudged the envelope full of cash, "You laugh now."

Her brown eyes widened in a way I've never seen since we were kids and dad had sat us down to tell us we were wizards... Crap. My heart just clenched. See, this is why I don't like to revel in past memories… I took another drink of my beer and watched Alex count the green.

"So, uh… what do we do now?" She asked, still counting.

"We?"

"Well, duh…" She stopped to momentarily point at her choker, which did serve as an equivalent to an electronic ball-and-chain. "Not like I'm going anywhere."

I gave her a mirth of a grin. "True."

"So, what's with the insane amount of cabbage?"

I almost opened the file before I glared at her, "That's it. No more mobster movies or gangster rap."

Ignoring me, "And, more importantly, who did it?"

Before I had a chance to open the folder, a photograph slipped from the pages. Alex reached down to grab it just as I started to read the case file.

No.

Oh no.

Bastards.

"Justin… it's…" Alex's face probably mirrored the look on mine's.

"Juliet." I whispered.


	4. Chapter 4

**Just In Case File: 001 - Fangs For the Memories**

**Summary:** Justin Russo; brother, private eye, and family wizard. Welcome to his hell.

**Rating:** T for language and adult situation.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**A/N:** Wow. I'm actually quite surprise at all the wonderful reviews I'm receiving! Thank you everyone so much for your words! This is more or less filler because I have a lot of ground work to establish… I'm a quarter of away from finishing the story draft (as a whole), and am coming up with some ideas for the second Just In Case Files.

As always, R&R and most importantly, ENJOY!

**_~~*~~_**

Here's a myth that I wished was true; vampires don't have a reflection.

If it were true, then I'm looking at Juliet's identical twin… Beautiful, classic, and completely frozen in time. Seventeen forever. Pictures shouldn't be like the real thing, but this was damn close.

"Justin… little help here…"

I blinked. Crap. I did it again. I can't do this… Can't get too caught up in the past to ignore the present and future.

I heard Alex calling me from across our little apartment in Manhattan.

What? Did you expect a penthouse suite on the Upper West Side? Wrong sibling…

Yeah… no… the Wizard Counsel pays, sure, but I wouldn't be moving in next door to any high society snobs anytime soon.

Besides, I like living a low-key lifestyle. This one bedroom apartment of ours (which I actually own because the Counsel _does_ pay so well), located downtown in the Village (Central if you're wondering _where_ exactly), had enough room for the both of us (again, mind out of gutter… Alex takes the bedroom, I'm either taking the couch or sleeping in my office).

"Justin!"

Part of the curse to being her "warden" was that I had to know her whereabouts 24/7. And not by choice because they (and by "they" I mean the Wizard bastard Counsel) had enchanted a part of my brain to be in tune with her presence. For as long as Alex had to wear the choker, I'll always be aware of her.

So despite getting lost just by staring at a picture of my vampire ex-girlfriend, Juliet, I was dimly aware of Alex whining for my attention.

"Coming…" I mumbled, getting up from the table and heading towards the bathroom.

Alex stood, wrapped in a towel and her dark hair in a bun, scowling at me to obviously hurry my ass up. "If they're so freakin' powerful, they could have at least enchanted this damn thing to be waterproof!"

I smirked as she twirled around, allowing me to retrieve the key to unlock the choker. "Hurry up," she snapped, "I need to shower… Having been around Chase that long," she shuddered, "God I feel sorry for his mom. Having to push that _thing_ through her--"

"Alex…"

"Well, you get the point. Now, hurry up!"

I retrieved my pocket watch and tapped a certain spot very lightly, allowing a hidden compartment to open up and reveal a tiny key. "This coming from the girl that actually slept with him."

I could feel her roll her eyes. "Ugh! Don't remind me. Why can't you be a good brother and swipe my memory?"

After unlocking and removing her choker into my grasp, she turned to face me so that I can wink, "And lose the chance to mock you for that one mistake? Never."

"Out!" She shoved and practically slamming the door in my face.

Before she could drown my voice out with the running water, I laughed, "You know you love me, Al!"

"Screw you!"

_**~~*~~**_

Juliet had been everything to me.

But then again, what did you expect from first -- not to mention young -- love?

They say you could never forget. That anyone after them, save for an actual _true_ love, would pale in comparison.

I would like to meet the person that came up with all that… and burn their heart into ashes.

Because that's how mine's felt for a few months after she moved away and we called it quits.

Huh. I wonder if the heartache I felt was really preparing me for the heart_ death_ I would feel when the shit hit the fans with my family?

But that's the past, and I really can't afford to stay in it.

And, especially looking over the case file, neither can Juliet.


	5. Chapter 5

**Just In Case File: 001 - Fangs For the Memories**

**Summary:** Justin Russo; brother, private eye, and family wizard. Welcome to his hell.

**Rating:** T for language and adult situation.

**Disclaimer:** I own… well, I wish I owned powers… but I don't. And neither do I own WOWP.

**A/N:** I'd like to dedicate this chapter to the cast/crew of Wizards of Waverly Place for their Emmy win! Woohoo!

**_~~*~~_**

"You think she did it?"

I looked up at Alex, drying her hair and wearing-- "Is that my college sweatshirt?" I glared.

Too big for her petite frame. Gray. Faded. The school's insignia. Not to mention that Alex never went to college…

She smirked, "This is what you get for making do laundry." She twirled around, causing ripples of water to splash in my face and on papers spread out on the table. "Besides, I look better in it than you do."

I pointed at her to grab a seat. Once seated, I stood behind her, fastening her choker as Alex began picking up random reports.

"So do you?"

"Think you look better wearing my clothes? Kinky much, little sister?" I winked. Hey, what are big brothers for if not to give shit to their younger siblings?

She glared at me, "You disgusting old pervert. No wonder you're single. No I meant the case!"

"I know," I laughed at her response. "What'd you think?" I replied before walking two feet into our small kitchen and grabbing a cup of coffee for each of us.

She remained silent, which was kind of odd. The last time she stayed quiet in thought for long was… well, when we were figuring out how to tell Max we found our father's suicide note.

Focus, Justin. Past is past.

"What do I think?" She spoke up finally before softly thanking me for her cup. I watched her as she quietly sipped the black sludge (these days, the stronger the brew the better). After a good moment's pause, she met my eyes, "I think you need to see her. Find out the truth. The actual _truth_. Not some bullshit the Counsel spewed."

I quirked a brow, "Screw the Counsel, basically."

She shrugged, despite remaining nonchalant, her lips held a small smirk. "Well, you know where I stand with those pompous bastards."

I nodded. This is where I'm kind of glad I won the family competition. If Alex had won, not only would she have never gotten arrested, but I had a feeling she would be dancing on the graves of those "pompous bastards."

For the next hour, we had eased into our usual comfortable silences. I had my head down, twirling my pen, and pouring over the notes, reports, and witness statements. Alex, sitting quietly next to me, had grabbed the latest novel she was reading (yes, shocking! Alex reads _for fun_!) and had her knees up against the table. Knowing our history, it would seem unlikely we had moments like these. But unfortunately, because of _events_ that transpired, I would think it was very likely we could share the quiet.

"Hey Justin…"

So much for quiet.

I grunted a response, my eyes thisclose to blurring because I was so engrossed in the different notes.

"I think you should check this out."

I rubbed my eyes, "What?"

Alex, who had her book open and propped on her knees, had a piece of paper in her hands. She slid it towards me, "Check out the headline to this _New York Minute_ article."

"**D.A. Rhodes's Magical Touch: Winning a Case That Saw No Winners**." I read aloud. To the mortal world, Rhodes was an up-and-coming lawyer that "oddly enough" seemed seasoned than most. If only they knew he had built a career in the wizard world as a "shark" and was only now at the start of transcending from being a successful lawyer in _both_ worlds; a feat that no other had yet to accomplish.

"Okay… so he wanted to be a lawyer both there and here? So what?" I asked, handing the paper back to Alex.

She sighed and rolled her eyes; translation: You idiot. "You idiot." See?

"What?"

She slid the paper towards me again. "Look at the byline."

I glanced down.

Oh.

"Damn." I sighed. Our eyes met, "Looks like we're paying our little brother a visit."

_**~~*~~**_

When our parents… well, when they "left" our lives, we decided to sell everything (our childhood home and our father's restaurant) and divide what it was worth amongst us three.

Alex used her share to bankroll her "business" venture.

I used mine to pay for my P.I. office in Chelsea.

And Max? Well, Max did something totally unexpected -- and came out the clear winner; he wisely invested in Disney, Marvel, and Sony (the three later joining venture and becoming this _mega_-corporation).

Which is why, despite being a journalist for a mediocre newspaper-slash-online zine, our little brother lived in a luxury apartment at the Grand Tier on the Upper West Side.

"Remind me again why I'm living with you?" Alex asked as we waited for the elevator to take us up to Max's.

I subtly scratched my neck.

"Oh. Right." She refrained from stamping her foot in protest… Until the doors dinged open to reveal Max's breathtaking apartment. "Stupid Alex!" she hissed at herself.

I know what you're thinking. Wondering. If Max lives in such a swank place (high ceiling, marble tiles, the whole she-bang!), what makes anyone think the likes of us (especially with how we look, Alex in her usual sunny black and yours truly with my trench coat and all) could get past the doorman?

Huh…

Oh. Yes. They call it a glamour spell for a reason.

As we passed the large mirror in the foyer, Alex halted in her steps and whined, "Justin! You forgot to change us back!"

I eyed our reflections and for a moment I felt a slight chill. Alex had a short bob as opposed to her long ponytail, and was decked in a slinky red dress, looking more sophisticated chic as opposed to sophisticated reject. And me? My body was sporting a grey suit and my "unblemished" face sported Clark Kent glasses. The reason why I felt uneasy… Would this be what we would look like had we not journeyed the path to where we were at now?

As if reading my thoughts, Alex smirked, "Wow, even in another life you still look like a dork."

"I could do without the glasses." And with a simple snap of my fingers, we changed back to our true appearances. Scars, both physical and emotional, and all.

Before I called out for our brother, Alex stopped me by reaching out to lightly touch the scar on my face. Softly, with eyes that seemed sad, "As crappy as this is, you look pretty badass with it."

Now it was my turn to smirk as I gently removed her fingers from face, "Bet you say that to all the boys."

Cheeky as always, "Only to those that count."

"_Well I hope I'm also on that list!"_ We heard Max before he crowed our names and welcomed us with open arms.

Max. Our baby brother. The one Russo kid a lot of us was expecting (even me) to end up with the powers simply because we kind of feared he'd end up like uncle Kelbo minus the magic; a sad, meaningless, directionless life.

But surprisingly, Max had the last laugh. Granted it took our parents… "leaving" to allow him to mature a lot faster, he seemed to have adjusted to mortal life like a fish to water. Hell, like a shark to water!

Taller than me, if you can actually believe it, at a good six foot two. To an outsider, he could pass off working at the Stock Exchange, which he actually has connections to, because his hair was cut military style and he was always wearing a polo or a suit. His good lucks have also blessed him to make wearing wire-framed glasses very stylist.

After hugging Max, Alex quickly welcomed herself to Max's fridge. I gently hugged him, patted him heartily on the back and apologized for calling late.

He waved his hand absently, "Not a problem, bro. I was going to call it in early anyway." He gave me a weary once-over, "Besides, you know I could never turn you and Alex away. It's been a while since we all… y'know, talked and hung out."

I nodded. Because sadly it is true. Ever since… our parents… Alex has seen Max more times than I had. This past year alone I think I've only hung out with him four times.

"Yeah…" I agreed, "Why is that?"

Alex walked back towards us, wine glass in one hand and a chicken wing in another. That sister of ours, full of class she is. She noted the plates in the dining room, "Max, if we interrupted something…?"

Max sheepishly ducked his head before looking back at us, pushing his glasses over the bridge of his nose. "I was hoping for an interruption during Ronnie's break-up speech, but your call came half an hour too late."

Alex scrunched her face, "You mean that Veronica bitch broke your heart tonight? I thought you guys called it quits three weeks ago."

He shrugged, "I wanted to end it then, but she had begged for another chance and… I couldn't resist." He winked at me, "You know how it is when a hot girl throws herself at you."

Alex rolled her eyes and before I could respond she said, "Justin wouldn't know a hot girl biting his ass, much less throwing herself at him."

I glared, "Your confidence in my power of observation astounds me."

"It should."

Max laughed, obviously enjoying our banter. He threw his arms around us and squeezed our shoulders, "God I missed this. We should hang out more often!" He released us and walked towards his dining room, "Alex, you should know where everything is. Remind Justin for me, would you? I'm just going to clean up in here and then we'll talk. Same rules apply likes last time; there are none and make yourselves at home."

Home.

I glanced around at Max's place; taking note that besides it being a lot more spacious and with a lot of toys to send an average geek to Nerdvana (and I should know), certain aspects of his apartment looked eerily familiar.

… the big orange couch.

… the curtains.

… some Pottery Barn vases that sorely stood out.

… the family pictures.

An upgraded Russo family living room. Minus, of course, two important elements.

It was home alright.

A stranger's home.


	6. Chapter 6

**Just In Case File: 001 - Fangs For the Memories**

**Summary: **Justin Russo; brother, private eye, and family wizard. Welcome to his hell.

**Rating: **T for language and adult situation.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing. Also, keep in mind, especially with the third season of WOWP coming round, that this is slightly AU-ish. I've tried to maintain their characters true to form, YET allow them to "grow up" due to tragedy and crappy circumstances. No way will you find the "Disney" version of these beloved characters.

**A/N:** I think I'm having way too much fun with this story… It's seriously taking a life of it's own! As always, R&R and most importantly… Enjoy!

**_~~*~~_**

"So," Max was browsing through the Rhodes' file we had brought along. "You're working the Rhodes' case? _Despite_ conflicting interest?"

Alex, sitting on the couch next to Max, was playing on his slim PSP while I was standing on the opposite end of the room, glancing outside the big glass windows. Conflicting interests or not, right now it's not about Juliet. "What do you know about the W.D.A., Maxie?" I asked him instead.

He scratched his chin, already sporting a slight shadow. "Personal or professional opinion?"

"Both."

"Personally I think he's a professional asshole."

Alex barked a laugh, "No wonder the Counsel loves him! They can smell their own."

I raised a brow and turned to face Max. "How so?"

Max got up from his seat and headed towards his cluttered desktop, located a few feet away. As he typed into his laptop, "So, a year and a half ago, Terri, my editor, hands me what -- at the time -- was supposed to be a sidebar to a bigger story that Mikey, you remember him, right Alex? the guy that hit on you at my Super Bowl party a few months back?"

"The jerk with the dead cat on his head?"

"Yeah. That's him. Anyway, Mikey was working the Orion case, also known as the poor man's O.J. Simpson, and we had just gotten wind that there was a 'new sheriff in town' to replace Jackson Deeds. A relative newbie from out of state."

"Rhodes." I said.

"Right. Rhodes," Max was now gliding on his rolling chair back and forth between his laptop and his printer. "Who was he? Where'd he go to law school? Why was he, the new guy, prosecuting such a high profile case? Crap like that was worth its weight in news gold! So Terri figured she'd send me because…"

Max trailed off. Intentionally.

Alex and I looked at each other before looking at Max. Because he didn't need to elaborate. Didn't need to explain.

Because if he did, old wounds of the past would open and we just can't afford the trip down memory lane.

"So yeah…" He shook his head, "because I already knew of him and _his upbringing_,"

That was putting it mildly.

"Factor in all that, Terri figured I'd have an easy in."

This was getting interesting. Even Alex had momentarily placed the PSP away to listen to his story.

"So was it? Easy to score an interview with him?" Alex asked.

Max organized his print-outs, stapling them and turning around to hand it to us. "At the time, I thought it'd be a sore subject, but I should probably thank you, Alex."

"Me? Why?"

Though he had a slight grin on his face, his eyes were anything but smiling. They looked a lot like mine's on a daily basis, dark and stormy. "Because the reason why he agreed to see me was because the asshole thought you needed more legal advice. That we'd need it considering you were -- and I quote -- _'bound to fuck up again and get banned from the magical world'_…" He feigned a cough as he turned head away and quickly removing his glasses to wipe them with his shirt. It was quiet for a few seconds before he added, "Like me."

Alex jumped up from her seat, her own eyes raging. "You know, if Juliet didn't kill the scumbag, I'd _love_ to shake the hand of the bastard that did!"

I could feel the power in me doing an ugly tango with my emotions. But this is one of the reasons why I won the competition… I can control this, not the other way around.

Calmly, "He actually said that to you."

He shrugged and placed his glasses back on, "It wasn't a big deal. I mean, he apologized for it afterward."

Alex wasn't the only one skeptical about such a claim. "Really?"

The mischievous little brother we both loved came out as he added, "Sure. After I threatened to run an article about his philandering ways that made him so popular in the wizard world."

I smirked. Nice.

I glanced at Alex, not at all surprising, clueless, "He spends a lot of money?"

"He sleeps around, Al." Max explained.

Doing what she does best, she recovered easily. "Oh, well, duh! That's what I meant. Because, he spends a lot of money _on whores_. I mean, look at him! He has philader… what's it called written all over him!"

Like a cat landing on her paws.

Max got up to grab some drinks and snacks while Alex and I looked over his notes from the interview and past stories he's covered involving Rhodes.

"You think it's safe to keep all digital copies of your notes on your computer, Maxie?" Alex asked, skimming while I was more or less reading. "Aren't you worried of people, kind of like Rhodes, breaking in and wiping out any evidences? Especially after a threat like that?"

When he returned from the kitchen, hands carrying a tray of soda and chips, "Not really. Not only is my hard-drive difficult to hack, thanks to a buddy of mine's tinkering around, but my apartment's enchanted. I know who comes in or who goes out."

At the mere mention of the word "enchanted" both Alex and I snapped our heads to face Max.

Carefree as always, he held his hands up, "What? You think that just because I don't have magic, I still don't have my connections?"

"Max," Alex began, worry clouding her brown eyes, "you can't have anything to do with magic. That was one of the agreements to your probation. Well, that and not stepping onto wizard territory."

"But I'm not doing anything magical, Al!" Max laughed. "I just…" he shrugged, "I have _friends_ who provide the magic and I just live _around_ it."

I shook my head. If there were any question as to whether Max was related to Alex…

The old Justin would have flipped out and demand Max abide by the rules. The old Justin would have used his magic and reverse every little spell Max had his friend enchanted.

But I'm not him.

Gently, "Max. Just be careful, alright?" And despite the old Justin not being around anymore, didn't mean he was dead. Trying not to come off lecturing, "We were lucky. Because of who dad… _was_… that's why Alex technically got a slap on the wrist and why you got banned from the wizard world and not tried in court as a traitor. Which most of the time was punishable by lifetime imprisonment _per_ _treacherous act_."

Max nodded as a reflective silence fell upon the three of us. I was thinking of things I force myself not to. I bet Alex was trying not to fear for her younger brother's recklessness. And Max? I would have thought Max was thinking about how life could have been a lot harder than it is…

But he just had to prove me wrong by asking me, "Speaking of dad, have you gotten in touch with his ghost yet?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Just In Case File: 001 - Fangs For the Memories**

Summary: Justin Russo; brother, private eye, and family wizard. Welcome to his hell.

**Rating:** T for language and adult situation.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**A/N:** Thank you to all that reviewed. I know it may seem like such a long time for the characters to get from point-A to point-B, but much of the build-up will also set the foundation for any future cases (which I can promise you a second one). Be patient with me, all will be revealed! R&R and most importantly; ENJOY!

_**~~*~~**_

Luckily I wasn't holding onto glass, because I already felt the force of my power when he had asked me again, "So have you, Justin? Summoned dad's spirit?"

Alex had numbly gotten up from her seat. From the corner of my eye, I watched her start pacing, while nervously caressing the diamond on her choker (a habit she's picked up lately when things worry her too much).

I had heard Max's question. I wasn't planning on ignoring it or changing the subject.

But damn if it didn't put me on edge.

See, here's the thing; unlike other worlds, when someone with magic in their blood, dormant or otherwise, dies, their spirit are more likely to communicate from the thereafter. With my father, former wizard that he was, and regardless of how he died, I should have been able to summon his ghost.

But I can't.

Huh. Now I'm reminded why I don't see Max as often.

Because this is where the rift between Max and I have lived for nearly four years now; because I can't summon dad, Max believes he's still alive.

I don't.

I can't.

I want to…

God knows what I wouldn't give to have my father again. For him to smile. For him to laugh. For him to tell me that I'm a good brother to my siblings and give me a proud hug just one more time…

But I can't. I can't afford to hope that our father is still alive, contrary to all the evidence pointing to his death.

"Don't start this again, Max." I warned, my eyes still on Alex.

Yet another reason why I can't afford to hope; because of our sister. Of the three of us, dad's death took the worst toll on Alex. She believed that if she hadn't been so stupid, breaking all those rules, getting arrested, dad wouldn't have resorted to killing himself and possibly taking mom with him. The reason for mom's icy entrapment was all conspiracy and circumstantial, but regardless Alex still felt the guilt of all of it.

I watched her pacing. Her thumb stroking the diamond, causing it to glisten.

"But Justin, I had talked to this guy, Evan, who's a newbie ghost whisperer and…"

I closed my eyes, "Max, don't." I could feel my fists clench. The power within me playing devil's advocate.

"… he insisted that it's been proven that most ghosts, especially suicides, are just _begging_ to be heard. That there's a slim, a _slim_!, percentage of ghosts that never reach out to this side of the--"

He never got the chance to finish.

Alex screamed as I shot out of my seat. My right hand was glowing red as it shot a bolt of electricity across the room, shattering his window.

"Enough." I thundered at Max, who was just staring at me as calmly as I was him.

His voice was even, "You better magically fix that window because I'm not paying for your temper tantrum."

"This coming from the _child_ that can't accept the truth."

I know. Talk about being childish. But provoking siblings run deep in my blood.

Max slowly got up from his seat, removing his glasses, and met me face-to-face. "He's _alive_, Justin. I can feel it. And I bet you can too if you managed to get that cold heart out of your ass long enough to feel it."

"I may have a cold heart, _bro_, but at least my heart can accept cold reality and _move on_."

He rolled his eyes, "_I've_ moved on. You? Who's still hovering around us like the big protector that he doesn't need to be anymore? Oh, I'm sorry. By 'us' I meant 'Alex,' because goodness knows you can't go a minute without leaving her side."

You ever had that feeling? You know. That dread. That tight sinking feeling that you're getting way too deep into territory you know you'll end up drowning in?

"What're you suggesting, Max?"

Something flashed in his eyes. Something that screamed at me, dared at me to challenge him. "I don't know, _bro_. What am I suggesting?"

I could feel a darkness pulling me further under. I knew my hands were still crackling with a power that could explode any second. I don't want to go there. I know I can control this. I know I can… I just need…

"Stop it!" Alex shrieked, shattering the glass bubble Max and I seemed to have enveloped ourselves in.

Her eyes were glassy. She was breathing heavily, as if about to have a panic attack. "Stop it! Both of you! What're you doing?! We can't keep on doing this every time we're together!"

Both Max and I glanced back at each other, and for a moment that alpha male pride sparked a growl from both of us.

She stalked towards us, keeping herself right smack in the middle. "You know, before we came here tonight, I wondered why? Why don't we don't hang out together anymore!" She sighed, "At first I thought it was just that we were all so busy with our lives that we couldn't make time. But I guess I was wrong. Like always."

Alex then smacked both of us hard, upside the head. And I had to admit, it hurt a lot more than my pride right now.

"It was you two! Both of you acting so stupid! Fighting over whether or not dad is alive?! God, you're both idiots! Always fighting and never realizing that whatever state he is or isn't in; dad's still gone and mom's still frozen!"

She stepped away from us, arms crossed and angry. "If you two don't stop whatever _this_ is, I'm going to make you two stop. Because we're a family. You two are all I have left… and right now, I'm _pissed_ that you two are all I have left."

With that, Alex began gathering up all the paperwork and notes, stuffing them into the folder, and excusing herself from the room and out of the apartment.

_**~~*~~**_

Max and I found Alex sniffling on the couch back home at my apartment.

It had been tense the moment she disappeared. Leaving a trail of curse words and two embarrassed brothers behind her.

Guys… well, us guys don't do well with apologies to one another. If it were a member of the opposite sex, sure! It's automatic. _"I'm sorry… please don't cry and thus make us further uncomfortable and rotten for causing you tears." _Apologies were simple to hand out to girls. That's also why men grew flowers and invented chocolates.

But a guy apologizing to another guy? We don't do the heartfelt emotional bullshit. Or flowers and candies. Alcohol, maybe…

Max and I both grunted a "Sorry." Whether or not it was sincere, I couldn't tell. Mine's sure wasn't. And from the way he ignored me as feverishly as I ignored him (especially as I magically fixed his window and he swept up the glass), I'm guessing that he wasn't as apologetic.

Forty-five minutes later, after hailing a cab, we arrived at my place because we had a sister to apologize to.

And twenty-minutes of groveling and teasing (guess who did what) later, we seemed to be back on her good graces.

"So," Alex sat up to allow room on the couch for Max, which meant I was pulling up a seat from the table. "While you two idiots were playing cavemen, I was busy doing _your_ work, Justin."

She started to hand me a piece of paper, but then stopped within mid-reach, "Before I explain, I need you to promise two things."

I sighed, instantly regretting. "Sure… Just as long as I don't have to murder someone."

"You would have if he wasn't already dead." She replied.

"What?"

"Okay, first thing; you have to _promise_ not to get upset. I won't stand for any more windows being shattered, got it?"

I crossed the space over my chest where my heart was. "And the other thing?"

Alex's eyes shined, "I want a new pair of boots that I saw--"

She didn't have a chance to finish. I snapped my fingers and half the stack of bills that Chase had given us had magically plopped onto her lap. "That should be more than enough for boots _and_ your half of the rent."

"But you don't pay rent." She said, "You own the apartment."

"Correct. It's in _my name_, not yours. You think your living here doesn't come with a price?"

She sighed. Of course she knew I was joking, but that didn't stop her from looking at Max and asking "You need a room-mate, Maxie? I know someone that's loveable and fun!"

I reached over and patted her head affectionately, "Don't forget housebroken."

Alex glared at my words, "Whatever… anyway, back to the case. Here." She finally handed me the paper. It was an article on a social gala that had been held at the Plaza a year ago. There was a picture of the Mayor of New York and a couple of stiff snobs. My type of people… not.

"Look who's standing to the far left." She pointed.

I eyed the grainy photograph, "That's… that's Rhodes and his wife." I looked at the caption below and it confirmed my suspicion.

"And you see that tall blonde dude standing next to Mrs. Rhodes?" She tapped the paper.

"How do you know that he's blonde?" I asked. The photo was black and white.

"Because his obit pic is in color. See?" she handed me another article, this time revealing that same blonde gentleman that had been smiling so alive and well in that gala photo.

Max leaned over and nodded his head, "Charles Dye?"

"You know him, Max?" I asked.

"Sure. Nice guy. Does-- _Did_ a lot of charity work. Did an interview with him once…" That's when Max trailed off and suddenly shot a look at Alex. A look that said _"Oh shit." _And not in a good way. "Oh shit." he gasped.

Alex nodded, "I know, right!" she beamed, "This case just got more interesting!"

I was lost. An old feeling considering it's been ages since these two had run circles around me.

"Hey." I barked, "What am I missing?"

Max smirked, "Well you're the private eye. If Alex can connect the pieces, you shouldn't be too far behind."

Mental note to self; enchant a minor revenge spell on my little brother. Maybe a temporary spoken word spell that allowed him to be sarcastic to females that quickened his libido. Because no girl likes an asshole.

Alex smiled and began to gently explain; "Charles Dye died two weeks before he was to get married. Murdered. Don't worry, that case was solved. They caught the kid. Some junkie... Anyway, back to Charles Dye... Max had to interview him because apparently his upcoming wedding was a talked about affair. The mayor's deputy's secretary marrying the lead campaigner for organ and blood donation. Not to mention apparently they looked like a 'match-made in heaven.'"

And that's when Alex showed me the wedding announcement.

And the smiling faces of Charles Dye and my Juliet.


	8. Chapter 8

**Just In Case File: 001 - Fangs For the Memories**

**Summary:** Justin Russo; brother, private eye, and family wizard. Welcome to his hell.

**Rating:** T for language and adult situation.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing… except for maybe Lucinda and Chase… boy did I get the raw end of the deal.

**A/N:** Two for the price of one! Two chapter updates within the same day! As a thank you for all the lovely reviews and to all the readers taking a chance on my little story. Again, I know the build-up is slow, but trust me it'll be worth it. Even my fiance (who's not a big WOWP geek like I am) loves what I had written (draft-wise) so far…

_**~~*~~**_

The next morning…

"_Chase Worth's office, how may I help you?"_

"Lucinda? This is Alex Russo--"

"_The criminal."_

"No… Mr. Russo's partner and--"

"_Secretary."_

Alex sighed heavily at the speaker for the white phone (we have a black office phone for "normal" business, and a white one for… well, I think you get the point) on her desk. "Lucinda, you know, we can continue to play this little game that sadly _will_ get old, or…"

"_I'm sorry, who am I speaking to again?" _Faint sound of chewing gum snapping played in the background.

I crossed my arms and bit back a laugh at Alex's reddening face. "Alex! You know who I--"

"_I'm sorry, my name is _not_ Alex. To my knowledge, we have no one by that name working within these offices. If you have reached this number in error, I can gladly direct you to the proper channels."_

"Lucinda Grosse! You borrowed money from me freshman year of college--"

"_Before you dropped out." _A gum snapped.

"-- because you needed a deposit for that under-the-table _tail_ removal job." Alex tossed a haughty grin my way.

Silence with gum snapping in between intervals. Finally, _"… What do you want, Russo?"_

Alex sighed contently, dropping herself into her chair and kicking her feet up. "Why Lucinda, your people skills have improved I see."

You know… as fun as it is to see Alex go up against a force as annoying as she, even I have my breaking point. I leaned over the speakerphone, "Hey Lucinda, it's me, Justin. Can you arrange another meet-up with Chase? Same place, same time."

"_Justin! Oh hey! It's so nice to hear your voice! So kind and respectful…"_ Lucinda chirped.

Alex mocked Lucinda's "kind and respectful" line, which caused me to roll my eyes.

We heard typing on her end of the line, followed by a _"Okay, so what day would you like to meet with him?"_

"Uh… how about _yesterday_?"

We heard a gum snap. _"Oh… well, as feasible as that would be, we'd need an extra day to consult the Time Mechanics Department and--"_

"Lucinda," Alex gritted her teeth, "What Justin said was A.S.A.P. translated via sarcasm."

Another gum snap. _"Oh… Well, here I thought that Justin was the _nice_ Russo."_

"I am, Luce." I groaned, "Time is just so urgent right now. Especially with this case the Counsel's got me working on…"

Now here was the time for me to work whatever charm I like to pretend I had with the ladies.

Which, of course, Alex had to sit through with a disgusted look on her face.

"So I would _really_ appreciate it if you could do me this one. Little. Favor? Please? Come on, Luce. I promise that from now on, I'll make sure Alex plays nice and cordial…"

"Wha--?!" Alex almost shrieked if I hadn't swiped my hand in a zipper movement, causing my sister to be silent. It was a nice little forbidden "Against One's Will" trick I learned a few days after Alex turned eleven and learned what _sarcasm_ was used for. I would have used it more often growing up, but dad was there so…

"_Well…"_

"Luce?"

More typing of the keyboards, until finally, _"Okay, Justin… Let me just free up his schedule and I'll have Chase meet with you later on today. Same time, same place."_

"You are the best secretary ever, Luce. Thank you!" I pressed the Call End button and looked at my sister smugly. "And _that_, Alex, is how you handle a bitch like Lucinda."

I started walking back towards my office when I felt a stapler graze my shoulder and land two feet in front of me.

Oh. Right. Damn. Knew silence couldn't stay golden.

I snapped my fingers.

"Justin, you jerk!"

But duct tape… duct tape is silver, and I like silver.

_**~~*~~**_

This time around we were early.

Mainly so that Alex had enough time to give Barry a heads-up (because right now, we can't afford Barry going ape-shit on Chase… again).

And so that I had enough drinks in me for what I had to do to get a pass into the holding cell of Juliet Van Heusen.

"You have some big balls, Russo." Chase growled at me.

"Yeah, well," I grinned, "When dealing with a sister like Alex, you kind of have to grow a pair just to go up against her evil schemes." And because I couldn't help my dislike, I casually leaned back and eyed under the table, "But I guess not all of us are able to grow 'em back after Alex's been through them, huh, Chase?"

He gripped the table, "You know I don't have to take this crap, right? Not to mention coming here again after that… man. Woman. _Thing_ tried to kill me. You should be lucky that I made room in my busy schedule to see your sorry ass."

I bit my tongue. Be good Justin. Do what you have to do, and _then_ we'll see whose ass is sorrier.

"So," Chase eyed me wearily. "What did you want?"

"It's about this case," I started.

"Did you get the evidence that we needed?" His eyes sparkled like a snake about to have his mice buffet.

"No… but--"

Chase gave an exasperated sigh, "Then what the hell am I doing here? Lucinda insisted it was urgent. So spill, Russo."

"Well I'm trying to, but you've got diarrhea of the mouth!"

Oops. So much for alcohol stunting my urge to snap at the bastard.

He stood up and huffed, puffing his chest out as if he was something special… Specially educated, maybe…

"I'm out. Call us when you have something or whenever your sister screws you over, whichever comes first. Preferably when Alex fucks up."

He was halfway across the room when I closed my eyes, sighed, and took a swig of my drink, "I need to see her."

"What?"

"Juliet. I need to see Juliet."

I heard his footsteps approaching my table. His chair scraping on the floor as he sat back down. There seemed to be amusement in his voice as he asked, "Repeat that?"

My eyes opened and I stared him dead on. This was now or never, Justin. Time for you to sound like a corny protagonist in some suspense thriller. That moment when the villain is practically taunting you to admit defeat…and you do. For now.

Before you kick their ass two scenes later.

"I want to see her for myself. Ask her why she did it. I need closure, Chase." He started to feign confusion, but I played my part and scoffed, "And don't pretend that you never knew Juliet and I had history. Why else would you be hesitant to pass this case onto me?" I threw in a woeful, "I just… just need to know, man. And when I hear her reason, _then_ I'll give you and the Counsel whatever you want."

Here's the thing about guys like Chase Worth; they're bottom feeders on a chain of power hungry bastards. They're spineless to act, but show them a weak spot and they'll not only attack, but they'll revel in your helplessness. Those that are constantly stepped on by the big boys often find smaller targets to step on themselves.

I knew the risk to allowing this bottom feeder to attack me.

But I also knew the reward I was going to get when _I_ attack him.

He pondered on my words. At least I _hope_ he was pondering on them and not just constipated.

Finally a Chesire grin spread on his face, "You know, Russo, since you asked so nicely…" He glanced over my shoulder at Alex, who was patiently filing her nails, "And since you seemed to take my advice about the leash laws…"

I had to drop my hand under the table to keep Chase from seeing the flickers of a fireball forming. Be good, Justin. He's just testing you…

"I'll see what I can do." He held his hands up, "I can't promise anything right now. Nor can I promise a visit within the next twenty-four hours…"

I couldn't help a groan from escaping my lips. "Chase. Don't you think the longer you keep me from doing my job, the longer Alex and I will be in your life?"

"Even in between cases, I can't get rid of you damn Russos."

I really want to play the "You don't have enough pull with the Counsel" card. But I'm afraid that just might piss him off. Last time I did that, Chase ordered Lucinda to screen our calls and making it near impossible to contact them short of _visiting_ their offices. And _that_ was never an option.

"So what do I do until you get back to us? Take up knitting?"

"No." He snapped. "You do your job. I'll hold up my end of this bargain, you just do what we paid you to do."

I gave him a half-hearted salute. "Yes, sir."

Chase gave a tense nod, "You'll be hearing from us." And this time he left the bar in one piece.

I took one last drink from the bottle before I heard a rough "Oomph."

"_Oh! Sorry, sir."_

"_Watch where you're going."_

The sound of the door swinging shut.

Footsteps approached from behind, a gangly teenage boy sat himself across from me and tossed a wallet onto the table.

With a quick glance around the café, noting no one paying attention (including Barry, who was too busy tending a phone call), I snapped my fingers and in an instant the boy turned into Alex, and the "Alex" sitting quietly at the bar fizzled into thin air.

"Told you he was too stupid to notice that I didn't say a word when he insulted me." Alex grinned.

I slightly bowed at her evil genius logic.

"So," Alex reached over and thumbed through the cash in Chase's wallet, "dinner on me tonight?"


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**_~~*~~_**

Two Days Later…

Alex had a twisted fascination with infidelity cases.

Normally I initially pass on those jobs because once all was said and done, there was only happily never after. My life was already full of heartache, I didn't need another reminder as to why people sucked.

But Alex… she viewed it a bit differently. She had no sympathy for the guilty and a lot of empathy for the spurned.

Whatever our conflicting reasons, at the end of the day, I took the case. Because money was money.

Plus, you never know when the exchange rate for wizard money could drop like bird shit on an unsuspecting target.

Oh and I do like throwing Alex the occasional bone here and there, allowing her to "lead" the investigation, while I remained her silent partner.

Which is why we were at Bryant Park when Lucinda called with information regarding our visitors' pass into the Warlockdown Correctional Facilities.

Alex, sitting on one of the chairs on the West 42nd side of the park, was "sketching" in her drawing pad (I had enchanted it and her drawing pencil, allowing her to create photographic-like pictures onto the blank pages which we could later transform to _actual _hardcore photographs).

And me? I was eating a hot dog on the opposite end.

I had done a walk through around Bryant and its famous neighbor (you know the Library with the two lions? Nicknamed Patience and Fortitude despite the fact that every once in a while I catch Patience bitching about tourists and Fortitude dying for a chance to scratch its own ear.) before my stomach had grumbled for food.

Half-way through my snack, my cell rang.

"Russo."

"… _uh, no… It's Lucinda, Justin."_ Faint snap of a chewing gum.

I stuffed the rest of my hot dog into my mouth to refrain a sigh. I gulped and inwardly cursed that I had forgotten to grab a drink.

"… _Hello? Justin? You still there?"_

"Yeah, Luce. What's up?"

"_Mr. Worth wanted me to let you know that he is sending you, through Express Wizard Mail, a package with the contents needed for access to the W.C.F."_

I looked down for a second, then walked towards the nearest tree and gently tapped my shoe against it, a small smile on my face. "That's great, Luce."

This time around I didn't mind the incessant gum smacking… _"So, yeah, you should receive the package if not today, then tomorrow morning."_

"Do you know when exactly the passes are good for?"

Smack and pop goes the gum. _"… Uh… no."_ Pop.

Then again, I retract my former statement. Luckily I was wearing my dark shades so no one could see the slight twitch I suddenly developed in my right eye.

I sighed, "Okay. That's fine, Luce… Thank you for the call, and thank Chase for me, would you?"

"_Anything for you, Justin."_ Pop.

I grimaced. Times like these I actually miss teenage Harper.

I slid my cell phone back into my inner pocket when I felt Alex join me.

"Got what you needed?" I asked before I was surprised by the cold drink being shoved into my free hand.

Alex shrugged, hitching her messenger bag back onto her shoulder. "Enough, I guess." She glanced over at the pair, a young guy in a business suit and the lovely brunette that was sharing her drink with him.

I took a sip of my own drink, "You don't sound happy. Thanks by the way."

"You're welcome by the way. And you're right, I'm not." She had a frown her face, not unusual for her but it was slightly disconcerting.

As we were walking down the steps, on to West 40th and heading towards 6th Ave, Alex explained, "I think this is the first time I'm not seeing a cheating scum bag and his dimwit mistress. If you had pointed those two out, I would have initially thought they were happy and in love. Not a stupid love struck girl and the guy whose wife hired us to spy on."

I stopped mid-step and slightly lowered my shades, my eyes meeting Alex's. "His wife didn't hire us."

"What?"

"I thought you were listening to me when I explained the situation to you."

She gave me a blank look. Again, not at all unusual but highly disconcerting. "And I make a habit of actually _listening_ to you because…"

I didn't know whether to laugh or sigh. Feel annoyed that once again Alex has no respect for me… Or wait for the amusement at seeing her shock when I inform her; "His wife didn't hire us. His _boyfriend_, however, did."

"… _Oh_."

We continued walking, a silence falling between us before I asked, "Feel better now?"

"… Give me a moment to digest this and then ask me later."

_**~~*~~**_

Back at the office…

We had a backup. Life has taught me to always have a contingency plan, in the likely event life decides to throw a big "F You" in your face.

Max, much to Alex's dismay, still had some connections in the wizard community. Long before he established his career in the mortal world, he was already building up ties and "friends" in the wizard world in hopes of being a journalist there instead of here.

But of course plans backfired, life threw a big "F You" in his face, and now he's a reporter for a Manhattan publication and living in a sweet suite.

Luckily we didn't need to use up one of Max's "favors" because the visitors' passes were good until Tuesday afternoon. Since today was Sunday, I had about two days worth of visits to get the truth out of Juliet and prove her innocent, and maybe see where we--

Wait. Hold up. What was I doing?

Crap. Don't do this Justin.

"You okay, Justin?" Alex was eyeing me with concern. As she should be considering my hands were turning white because I was gripping onto my desk.

Flashes of memory, grainy reels of black-and-white. Juliet in her waitress outfit at her family's sandwich shop. Juliet smiling up at me during prom. Juliet--

No. Shit. I need my emotions in check.

You know you're in a sad state when you need someone like _Alex_ to be the voice of reason. My eyes never allowed myself to meet hers as I said, "Tell me to do my job."

"What?"

"Tell me to stick to what I was paid for."

I heard her step closer to my desk, "Justin--"

I growled, because I was angry that memories of Juliet decided to drown my already messed up head, "Just do it, Alex!"

"Fine!" Alex snapped, "Just do your fuckin' job, Justin." And with that, she stormed out of my private office. I didn't need to look up to hear her throwing a hissy fit outside, banging drawers and filing cabinets.

My breathing slowed. The images in my head slowly fizzling back into the abyss I had stuffed them in.

By the time the dread I usually felt at taking my anger out at Alex had hit, I was in desperate need of a drink.

I got up from my desk, headed towards Alex and discovered that she had already left the building.

Something buzzed in my head and I knew. Huh. No wonder I was craving tequila.

_**~~*~~**_

"What'd you say to piss her off now?"

Max, looking like he stepped off Wall Street as opposed to probably his office at work, stood outside of the Skylight Café, finishing off a smoke.

"Didn't realize she was _that_ pissed to give you a call." I rubbed the back of my neck, the regret at snapping at her easing into my core.

We watched as the rings of smoke dissipate into the atmosphere. "She didn't call me."

I was already queasy over the memory flood _and_ angering Alex, I don't think I could handle anymore bad news. I watched Max drop and put out his cigarette with his shoes, "Then how'd you--"

Max pushed up his glasses, "Harper called me. Asking for Alex. So I called Alex."

Harper. I just _had_ to subconsciously think of her during the stakeout at the park.

I removed my sunglasses and rubbed above the spot between my eyes. I tried not to groan, "Why?"

Max shrugged, "What'd you think, bro?"

"We already sent her the payment for this month."

Max's nostrils flared, anger flashing in his eyes, and I already regretted my words, "She's not just some stranger we paid to keep storage space, Justin!"

He was reaching into his suit pocket, pulling out another cigarette and lighting it. He took a puff and exhaled, "It's crap like this that makes me wonder why the hell I ever looked up to you."

I eyed my little brother. Max. Despite my scars and my "Keep the hell away from me" attitude, he looked worse for the wear. Wouldn't be surprised if a total stranger would assume that _he_ was older, not me.

"You should quit. Those things can kill you." Without asking, I plucked the cigarette from his fingers and snuffed it out myself.

As opposed to Alex's usual reaction of just glaring at me, Max shrugged and just lit up another one. Short of blowing smoke in my face, "You should quit working for the Counsel. They'll get you killed one day."

I nodded, "Maybe… but at least they'll have paid off my funeral fees and plot."

"Yours." This time he did have the nerve to blow smoke my way, "But what about Alex's?"

"Okay, you know what? I'm not dealing with your B.S. right now, Max. I'm getting Alex, apologizing my ass off to her, and then we have a case to finish."

I walked away, but not before shoving him with my shoulder. My hands laid on the bar door, with intentions to swing them open, when I felt it.

Another buzz. This time cold… and sad.

I heard Max slightly chuckle.

Son of a… "You son of a--"

He winked at me, "Careful now. That's our mother you're talking about…"


	10. Chapter 10

**Just In Case File: 001 - Fangs For the Memories**

**Summary:** Justin Russo; brother, private eye, and family wizard. Welcome to his hell.

**Rating:** T for language and adult situation.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**A/N:** Have I lost any of you? LOL Hope not. If I have, here's the recap; Justin is a P.I. Juliet has been arrested for the death of an important figure. Justin has to deal with not only finding out why, but also dealing with Max's anger towards him and keeping Alex sane (and on this side of the law). Chapter Ten… wow, never thought I'd pump out a novel-sized mystery… R&R and most importantly, ENJOY!

**_~~*~~_**

Harper was weird.

Just because she was a successful fantasy author, doesn't lessen her eccentricities. Especially as she stands before me dressed like she stepped out of a coloring book done up by a three-year old.

"Oh Justin!" I felt a slight pressure around my waist and then a sudden release as Harper started to flutter else where.

"Harper." I mumbled, wishing that my intimidation factor rubbed off on her… and realizing with dread that it didn't.

"When Max promised me that you'd stop by, I actually made him un-promise that promise!" She grinned fondly at my younger sibling.

Max, arms crossed and with a snide grin I look forward to wiping off, held his arms up as if the task of dragging me here was easy. He flickered his eyes away from me, landing softly on Harper.

And that's when I caught it. Oh, oh, oh… I'm going to make him pay.

You'd have to be blind not to have caught that look he was now giving her. It wasn't magic that instantly blurred away the dourness of age on Max's now glowing face. It was a force a lot stronger… And to think I would have missed this.

"You can't say that my word isn't golden, Harper." He winked, trying to come off smooth but I had to bite back a laugh because it smelled of cheese.

I clapped my hands together, wanting to get down to business so that I can finally retrieve Alex and talk to Juliet and… well, my list of things to do was getting bigger by the hour.

"So, what's up, Harper? Max said you needed to talk to Alex?"

Harper smiled at me and for a brief second I saw the younger version of herself, the love struck teen. I couldn't help but glance at Max and notice, especially at his clouded expression, that he saw it too.

Which only confirmed my first observation.

"I wanted to speak to both you _and_ Alex, actually."

"Why, Max left _that part_ out of the conversation."

"Because you were too busy wondering if you had already paid her for this past month." he snapped back at me.

Harper sighed, "I see things haven't changed between you two." She skittered into her kitchen, "Is it any wonder why Alex's compelled to drinking before two in the afternoon?"

I opened my mouth, speaking of Alex, but Harper continued as she flourished herself back in front of us with a tray filled with cookies and cups of tea. "Speaking of which, if you're wondering, Justin, she's in back with your mom. The place hasn't changed much since you last stopped by, so you should know the way."

"Sure…" I looked down, then back up at Harper. "Hey, about what you needed to discuss with me and Alex…"

Harper regarded me for a second, before she nodded, "It can wait, Justin. Max filled me in on what's going on with Juliet."

I raised a brow, "He did?"

She gave a slight smile, "Well, you know him." She gently nudged Max, "Can't exactly keep a secret, this one."

Max refused to meet my gaze, though I could detect a small blush on his face at Harper's gentle teasing.

"Finish what needs to be done, Justin. Then we'll talk." Harper said before she glanced at Max then back at me, "Your brother and I will be in the living room if you need us."

I gaped. Wow.

Harper was weird… But she wasn't dumb. And obviously I don't give her enough credit.

I wonder if there's anything that shouldn't surprise me these days…

**~~*~~**

Okay, I suppose I should explain. See, when dad… died and mom was an ice statue in the middle of the lair, we (as in mainly me) were dumbstruck as to what to do next.

This had all happened at the climax of "crap hitting the fans" for our family; Max had been declared traitor, Alex was still on trial for her Ex-Potential scheme, and I was practically living and working at my office.

Harper was the only thing… _normal_ in our lives. She was not only a struggling writer, but she was teaching pottery to kids, and working at home selling her handcrafted hair barrettes online.

She was also considered family. Which is why she was the first person I called (I'm man enough to admit that I slightly panicked) for help when I found mom and dad in the state they were in.

Alex was blessed for acting before thinking. Max just acted. And me? I'll admit that I over think things through but rarely acted out.

But Harper? Harper, who I would have figured to freak out at my news, had become desensitized to anything extraordinary and magical, thanks in part to Alex's shenanigans. She told me to send my mom (frozen body and all) to her apartment and then call the cops to report my father's suicide.

Afterward, in between dealing with the cops (both magical and mortal) and informing my siblings of the tragedy, I had helped Harper clear up space in what had been her art supply room. She had insisted that it be turn to something similar to our old lair (hidden passageway and all), but with the added element of climate-control. It was all an effort into making it easier and safer to keep our mom before we figured out how to bring her back to life.

It's been four years… and we've still yet to figure out a cure, much less a spell.

And now I realize why Max thought I was a jerk to Harper, especially with everything she's done for our family.

I mean… _her_ family.

**_~~*~~ _**

"Alex…" I breathed, the crisp air nipping the moment I stepped into mom's current place of resident.

About the size of a classroom, with the cold circulation equivalent to an restaurant cool storage space, and minus furniture save for the stand that was held our mom's statue form up.

My eyes rested on Alex, who was sitting against the base of the stand. Her eyes seemed to be staring into space, though they automatically locked onto mine's the moment I took a step towards her.

I wanted to say "I'm sorry."

I wanted to say "I need your help."

I wanted to say "I'm honestly lost without you."

… But I can't.

My eyes let themselves drift from my sister to my mother… Even in her icy state, literally frozen in fear with her dark eyes wide and mouth in a silent scream, I considered her beautiful.

I wanted to say all the right things, but I can't.

Because I now realized that those words weren't just to Alex.

And I'm not ready to say them just yet… not until I bring her back.

"Alex." I gave a brisk nod to my sister, yet I hoped she saw the regret of my earlier words in my eyes.

"Okay." She nodded, her voice tired yet I saw understanding in her eyes. She got up and walked towards me. Her hand gently grasped onto my arm before she glanced over her shoulder, at mom. "We have to visit more often. Once a year just doesn't cut it anymore…"

I watched her as she walked out the door before I looked back at what I was leaving behind.

I'm sorry, Alex. I don't think I can.


	11. Chapter 11

**Just In Case File: 001 - Fangs For the Memories**

**Summary:** Justin Russo; brother, private eye, and family wizard. Welcome to his hell.

**Rating:** T for language and adult situation.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**_~~*~~_**

In the end, I left Alex at home.

Too much had happened within the last few days.

More than I had usually allowed to happen.

See, before this case, I never would have allowed Alex to accompany me 24/7. Sure, I always kept a close watch since her sentencing. I mean, damn it, they installed a magical chip in me to always be aware of her.

But with the few occasions of Alex going with me to bars to play lookout (it helps that I did pay her in drinks), I never fully engrossed her in Wizard Counsel business.

The toll was too high. The price paid in emotional heartache or blood. Usually mine.

I've already worked a good number of jobs for them that I'm immune to the damage (emotional, physical, etc.) the case may inflict on me.

But Alex? No. I'd rather her turn my office into a subway tunnel than put her through the bullshit she had gone through just accompanying and researching with me _alone_.

So here I sat. Waiting.

The Warlockdown Correctional Facility was like any other prison in the mortal world. The only exception, obviously was that its prisoners were of the magical kin; witches, wizards, werewolves, oh my.

And because I was a visitor, the guards gave me the usual pat down and "What Not to Bring In" lecture.

Thankfully I had left my silver wand back home with Alex. Those were a big No-No.

Oddly though, guns were allowed. At least the _non_-enchanted type. Like my .45 Colt.

As I sat in the steel chair, waiting for a guard to bring in Juliet from her cell, I allowed my mind to locate Alex and to wonder if she was… okay.

My brain buzzed and my nostrils got hit with a sudden aroma… garlic, spices, and something achingly familiar. And her mood? My heart leapt and I knew that she wasn't in pain…

Huh. If I had to guess, either she had ordered take-out from the Italian place down the block or she was cooking from one of dad's recipe books.

My stomach growled, which caused me to roll my eyes. Great. The last thing I ate all day was that hot dog I bought from Bryant Park.

"You have half an hour." a gruff voice broke my train of thoughts.

My eyes traveled up and I heard her gasp my name.

"Justin."

Seventeen forever. Just like the picture. Just like in my memories.

Despite it being years, Juliet Van Heusen still had her dimpled grin and eyes that sparkled like jewels. Her hair, which I had remembered it being longer, was actually cut shoulder length, but still as dark blonde and wavy. Even in that hideous yellow jumpsuit, handcuffs, and charmed ankle bracelet (like Alex's choker, minus the diamond and more or less to null the magic of its wearer), Juliet still looked as breath-taking as I had remembered.

And my heart just sank in the reality of her situation.

I stood up and gave a brisk nod. "Juliet."

The table stood in between us. I felt the old Justin wanting to knock it aside and just hold on to her for dear life. The tug was too great. Suffocating. Battling with any common sense I had developed over years of pain and harsh reality. The old Justin wanted freedom.

But I can't let him out. Instead, I nodded at the chair across from mine and numbly sat myself down.

Juliet, obviously sensing that I wasn't the same boy she had fallen in love with another lifetime ago, quietly held her head down and followed suit.

The silence allowed the old Justin to scream and rage, which is why I broke it by asking her, "Why?"

She gave a mirth grin, "Why am I here or why did I kill him?"

I blinked. "Both… I guess."

"Because I killed him. And because he had it coming."

"You never had a mean bone in your body, Juliet. You have a soul."

"Every mortal has a soul, Justin. Even the serial killers and rapists that still roam your streets and live atop mansions and hide behind a public face. What makes me any different? Well… other than these," and she pointed at her fangs.

It's been said that I don't do shock. Until this case…

"I don't believe you." I sat there, more or less stunned that I had allowed the old Justin to speak up.

She stared at me, hard. Deep. "Your eyes betray you, Justin."

I refused to look away. Instead I stared back. "So do yours."

"I'm not the same girl you fell in love with all those years ago. Things change. People change. Life happens, Justin. You of all people should know that the world out there isn't as kind and magical and filled with awe like our parents, well, at least _yours_, would have you believe."

Juliet. So morbid. So pessimistic. So… Cold.

My eyes were the first to break contact. Maybe she did kill him. I'll be honest, it hurt to accept it as truth. But maybe…

Wait. Her first tell.

It sparkled. The stone. On her ring finger.

My eyes blinked, momentarily blinded by the small diamond ring she was absently playing with on her left hand.

She was startled, then mad, as I whipped my hand out to grip hers. She tugged, I held firm.

"Let go." She growled. Her eyes flashed red. Soon it will be a deep crimson for my blood. Especially with what I had in mind.

The guard that was in the room with us suddenly appeared at her side, pulling out her wand, but I held my free hand up in warning.

"Step back." I met Juliet's eyes with a smirk. "She's not going to hurt me."

The guard watched us, looked at me, looked at her, then had the good sense to trust me and step back. Her good sense also advised her hand to remain holding the wand… just in case.

"Odd," I began, turning her hand -- struggling against my grip -- back and forth, "I thought criminals aren't allowed to keep shit like this on their person? You know, diamonds _can_ cut through most everything. And who is to say that this one isn't enchanted enough to cut through steel?"

For a vampire, I could feel the heat of rage coursing through her veins. "You bastard. You have no idea what I had to go through to keep this with me."

I'll admit it. I have balls. Big ones. At least big enough to toy with a "murderess" vampire's feelings. "So… which lucky guy gave this to you? The dead lawyer or the dead fiance? I bet it was the lawyer, because no one working the charity cases like Dye can afford a rock like this."

SMACK!

… _Ouch._

The guard pounced on Juliet, grabbing her left hand and bending it behind her back as she held her upper body down on the table. Juliet hissed at the pain, but she refused to submit.

I blinked. I moved my jaw, the searing pain where she slapped me across the face was enough to keep me awake the rest of the night.

I couldn't help it. I smiled. "Wow. So it was the dead fiance."

"Go to hell." She spit.

I winked. "I'm already there, sweetheart." I dropped her hand and nodded at the guard, "Let her go. She won't attack me."

The guard raised an incredulous brow.

"Again." I added.

The guard looked at me, looked at Juliet, then at me again.

"I wouldn't waste my energy." Juliet said with a bitterness that, I will admit, kind of hurt.

The guard raised both her hands off of Juliet, "Both are fuckin' nuts." and went back to her corner of the room.

I allowed Juliet to regain feeling back in her arm again before I asked, "So tell me about him. Dye."

Her eyes flashed and I knew I had hit the right button. "What do you want to hear, Justin?"

I shrugged, "I just want the truth."

She stood erect, like a statue. Just as cold as marble, "Like what? Like how much I loved him? Still love him. How his death devastated me? How I was out for blood when I found out, surprise, surprise, it wasn't an accident?"

I couldn't help it. The jealous asshole in me came out, "He got mugged, Juliet. Junkie spazzed, killed Dye, dumped him in the Hudson. How could it not be accidental?"

"I thought you private eyes were smart, not stupid." She sneered.

I wasn't being stupid. I was being a _jealous asshole_.

You meet enough junkies and tweakers, you learn one universal truth about those idiots that fill themselves full of their brand of drug; they can't plan for shit. Impulse (and whatever toxic they're on) drives them. Not thought, but feelings.

Of course I knew that it was bullshit about the junkie tossing Dye's body _two blocks_ from where the actual murder site took place.

Anyone could see that he didn't do it alone. Or that the crime was "accidental." Or even magical.

Dye's killer wasn't a wizard. I knew that much. Most wizards, especially those that know how strong true magic is, wouldn't dare invite a foreign substance into our already juiced up blood stream. It's like a lightening bolt asking for that extra hit of electricity; too much power will cause an implosion the likes of Hiroshima.

That's not to say I haven't met the occasional wizard crackhead… some just like that extra _boost_.

Even when Alex was ringleader for her Ex-Potential franchise, she only sold the potion to teenage wizards. Kids that weren't at their _full power_, but just needing that little bit of juice that they were too lazy to conjure up within themselves.

Juliet's eyes were focused on her ring again. She was twisting it on her finger, lost in whatever memory was causing her silence.

I coughed. This was going to be hard, but I had to ask despite knowing what might come of it.

"I read that Rhodes lost the case…"

She made a noise that sounded like a "Ha."

"Defense citing there was no hard evidence… Because you're right, how could a kid doped up on coke attack Dye, then drag his body two blocks and toss it off into the Hudson? Most coke heads would've attacked, left the body, and taken the cash on their person… But when the cops fished -- I mean, _retrieved_ Dye's body, they were able to properly I.D. him _because_ he still had his wallet, cash and all, on him. They were able to pin the crime on the kid because he confessed to the crime out of drunken guilt. Not to mention his fingerprints were found on Dye." I watched Juliet, gauging her reaction to my retelling of her tragedy.

Nothing. Not even a blink of her eyes. It was as if I was a Sunday school teacher lecturing to an atheist preschooler, bored and probably daydreaming ways to get out of this speech.

"So the kid walked. Whether or not he's still alive is another story because Alex did a little research and no one's seen hide nor hair of him."

She blinked. Surprise on her ethereal face.

Huh… so she wasn't aware that the junkie that killed her fiance was missing.

"You look surprised." I noted with a small smile, "You didn't know the kid went missing?"

"Oh, he's not missing. I know the kid's dead."

…What?

Juliet smiled, now it was her turn to surprise me. "I was more or less stun that you and Alex are working together. How is she? Well, besides that little," she slightly wrapped a delicate hand around her neck, "_problem_."

I inwardly seethed at that jab at Alex. Former girlfriend or not, I wasn't going to allow her to be snide about my family. Not when a part of me, the old Justin, still wants to prove her innocent.

"At least she's shown remorse for her crime." I snapped back.

There was a glint in her eye, "Why should I show _remorse_ for that bastard? He didn't try to win that case… He _gave it away_."

"Which gives you motive…" I began, "But what I don't understand is _why_ did you start sleeping with him? Especially since you obviously loath him for letting your fiance's killer go free."

She crossed her arms, wearing a smirk that stirred a mixture of feelings within me. I didn't know whether to slap it off her face… or smother it with kisses.

"You used to study battle strategies, Justin. Sun-Tzu said it best, _'if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles.'_" Juliet cast her gaze back to her ring, "I knew he had mistresses. Knew he had a… _fondness_ for women like me. I knew what I was capable of and…" She held her hands out, "The rest was history."

Damn. She was good.

"Damn." I breathed. "That was good…" I chuckled, causing her eyes to narrow.

"That's the truth that you needed to hear, Justin."

I held her gaze, "No… _that_ was your confession to the new W.D.A. Almost word-for-word, actually."

"What do you want, Justin?" Juliet sighed. "Because if you're looking for more facts, short of me telling you that Rhodes was lousy in bed, apparently you have everything you need in whatever case file the Counsel gave you."

I looked at her suspiciously. "How did you know that I was working for the Counsel?"

Juliet laughed, not the light tinkling one I was so used to… No, this laugh was more mocking and cruel, "You think you're the only one that has ties to the magical community, Justin? The reason why I had gotten my job was because of Charlie--" She diverted her eyes suddenly, coughed, then corrected herself, "Charles. Because of Charles. Did you know that he was one of us?"

No. No I didn't. "Yeah."

I'm already in hell. What's one lie going to do?

Juliet never called my bluff. Instead at the mere chance to discuss her late fiance, her face softened in the nostalgia. "He's-- He _was_ a good man. Despite his conflicting upbringing, he used his diverse background to reach out to a lot of us. I mean, you hear stories of how most kids like that, with a wizard and a vampire for parents, grow up choosing to be one or the other… But not Charles. He wanted to be _human_. He wanted to help humanity. Even if it means taking advantage of his bloodlines, short of sacrificing it for the greater good… He did."

My poker face was on point tonight. Charles Dye was half-vampire, half-wizard? Damn.

"I knew he was actively involved with the city's blood bank and organ donor organizations. But when he told me what he was, he also explained that it was really easy to control his bloodlust _because_ he was half-vampire. My body would tremble at the overpowering smell by just standing in the _lobby_ of the blood bank. But Charles? I've seen him walk down the hallway, tall and confident. Charlie was…" Juliet trailed off, turning her head down.

She didn't bother to correct herself this time. I wished she did. Because now I could see just how deeply in love she was with him.

And how heartbroken she was over his death.

Juliet sat up, but not before quickly wiping away a stray tear. She met my gaze, "I killed him, Justin. I killed Rhodes. Do what the Counsel paid you to do. I'm already dead inside… Just finish the job."

She glanced behind her, her voice weary at the guard, "I'm done. Can I go back to my cell?"

Shit. No. She can't. This whole venture didn't clarify everything… Maybe some, but not the important ones. Not the ones that can save her. I jumped up, holding my hand out in protest. "No! Wait, Juliet--"

The guard took hold of Juliet, who refused to look at, much less speak to, me anymore, and led themselves both out.

The sound of prison doors slamming echoed throughout.

Or was that the sound of my conscious slamming shut the door to my heart…

**_~~*~~_**

A crime of passion. That's what the mortal newspapers are already calling it.

Fiancee of dead do-gooder, burning at the injustice of his killer going free, goes after the lawyer that should have done his job right. Offers him sex just to get close enough to enact her own brand of justice. Kills him. Justice is served. A broken woman will spend the rest of her life in two jails; one the law will sentence her to and the other that she has already imprisoned her own heart in.

A crime of passion. That's how the mortals will see it.

And now… That's how the Wizard Counsel, and everyone in the magical community, will too…

Unless…


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**A/N:** So Good News; I've already come up with a _wicked_ first chapter start to my second Just In Case File. Bad News?… Well, I don't exactly have any bad news, but maybe some mild So-So News in that the last couple of chapters will be up _before_ the Season 3 Premiere of "Wizards of Waverly Place." So, yeah… R&R and most importantly ENJOY!

**_~~*~~_**

Déjà vu. That's how I felt when I saw Max standing outside of Skylight, smoking, and waiting for my sorry ass.

"Wow. You look like shit." he said with no humor. He leaned forward, inspecting me, "Either Juliet complimented the hell out of you, or slapped you silly because your face looks red."

"What'd you think?" I held the door open to lead us both inside.

"I think you were a jackass and got yourself slapped."

By the time I returned to Manhattan, it was nearing the midnight hour. Hearing Juliet's side of the story only led to more questions. I knew going home would only lead to a restless night, so I did the only thing I could think of to ease my anxiety; drink.

Before heading to the Skylight, I had called Alex. Told her I'd be home late. Told her I was following up on more leads. Didn't want her to worry.

Apparently she was worried enough to know where I was really going. More so especially since she sent Max to babysit me.

"Hey Barry," I raised up two fingers, signaling my usual.

Barry, sporting a black leather vest and red sports bra from the waist up, winked at me. "Run the tab, Russo?"

I patted Max on his back, "Nah. Baby bro here is paying."

We sat down at my usual corner booth, situated farther into the bar so that I could keep an eye on who goes in and out. I only sit here during my "off" time. I never like to bring my "business" onto familiar territory.

Once one of Barry's waitresses handed our drinks, I took my bottle, clinked it to Max's and chugged it straight. Max watched me before taking a sip of his. "And you get on my ass for smoking? If I had to guess, my lung could run circles around your liver."

With my free hand, I flipped Max off. Immature, I know. I was drawing a blank for a biting remark. It was that long of a day for me.

Max chuckled, then became somber as he asked, "So how's Juliet holding up?"

"Strong." I said, feeling the alcohol buzzing through my blood stream. I held my hand up to Barry again, indicating for her to keep it coming. My eyes finally turned to Max, "Stubborn, too. She said she did it. Won't change her story."

Max nodded, "Not like the world needed another asshole attorney."

I eyed Max. Juliet's words ringing in my head. "Hey Maxie,"

"Yeah, Justin?"

"Why didn't you tell me that Charles Dye was half-and-half?"

Despite a blink of his eyes, Max's face looked to be drawing a blank. "I didn't?" He took a sip of his drink, "Huh."

"'Huh'?" I looked at him. "That all you gotta say?"

He shrugged. "Okay… how about 'Well, shit. My bad?'"

You know what pisses me off? That feeling. That feeling you get when people are keeping things from you despite you getting that whiff that something's up. That annoying feeling that they know you're going to figure it out, yet they choose to prolong the inevitable.

"Must have slipped my mind." Max said, nonchalance oozing out of his ass.

"Bullshit, little brother." I growled. "Why'd you withhold information like that?"

"Does it matter?" Max looked bristled. "Half-wizard… half-vampire… mortal… werewolf… mermaid… Whatever the hell Charles Dye is… doesn't matter! He's dead! And his girl is in jail because she avenged his death… What should matter is what you're going to do about _that_."

"How can I help her when she doesn't want--" I stopped myself. Stopped myself because something that Max had said stuck out like a bad hangnail.

It was small. But I caught it. I wasn't that drunk yet not to. I looked at him, curious, "What you just said… Didn't make any sense."

Max stared at me like I was crazy, which all things considered… I nodded, "What you said… You didn't use past tense."

Now Max blinked. "What?"

"You said 'is.' You didn't refer to him as a 'was.' Max…" I leaned forward, "Why'd you say that?"

Alex isn't the only one quick to covering her mistakes. He held his bottle up, "Must've been the alcohol, bro. I'm not the best wordsmith once the buzz starts."

I smacked the bottle out of his hand. The late night drunks still hanging out had jumped as the bottle shattered. Even Barry looked up, but then shrugged and resumed to business as usual. And Max? Well, Max had years to perfect his poker face. He didn't even bat an eye.

"Don't." I snarled, "Don't _fuck_ with me, _bro_. What are you hiding?"

We silently stared each other down. I could feel the electricity of my powers mingle with my emotions, none of them friendly towards Max right now.

It seemed like eternity, but one of us made a move. Max slid out of his side of the booth, stood towering over me as he retrieved his wallet from his jacket. As he thumbed out a couple of bills, "Get some sleep, Justin. Sober up. Clear your head… You'll eventually figure it out." He tossed the money on the table, "Because you're you. The smartest of us all. Justin Russo, the _great_ problem-solver." He leaned closer, growling, "Just don't fuckin' take it out on us when you discover that you don't like the answers."

_**~~*~~**_

The year before I got my powers, I had my heart stepped on by a leggy blonde. So I did what any average American male does when he gets his emotions spanked; I got drunk.

Six beers, three tequila shots, five whiskey shots, and a vodka bottle later; I was shit-faced and wishing to any god to put me out of my misery.

Four years later, dad died and mom was a popsicle. My sister was a criminal and my brother was a traitor. Go figure I get shit-faced again.

A case of Coors, a bottle of tequila, whiskey, and vodka later; I was sporting a nice buzz and discovering that between my years of randomly drinking and wizard powers, I had an amazingly high tolerance for alcohol.

So you can imagine, couple more years later, just how insanely high my tolerance had gotten just to have me, four o'clock in the morning, passed out in my office and wishing for death to come.

_**~~*~~**_

It didn't, by the way.

_"Justin…"_ **Poke.**

Death.

_"Justin…"_ **Poke.**

Though why am I not surprised that death sounded like my sister?

_"Rise and shine, my little alcoholic."_ **Poke. Poke.**

I groaned and hissed as sunlight entered into my office.

"Oh, relax, you baby!" Alex said, "You're not a vampire. You're just a wizard suffering from a major hangover." I blinked against the searing lights, blindly reaching for my sunglasses. As I found and promptly sported them, I felt a cup and three tiny pills being shoved into my hands.

"Here." Alex explained, standing over me with an amused grin, "Those should help you fight the migraine. I know since becoming a wizard you've developed a high tolerance for crap, so I took it upon myself to order the strong shit."

I mumbled a thanks and immediately gulped the pills and water down. Ever so slowly I felt a light fizzle softening through my brain where the migraine was clustering around. I blinked up at Alex from behind my shades, "What're you doing here at--" I pulled out my pocket watch, "Holy crap, it's one in the afternoon?!"

"Duh. I work here." Alex grinned, "Not to mention how could I not be here to wake my favorite brother up from a drunken slumber to tell him that he looks like shit."

"Why are you perky?" I glared, rubbing my temple and getting up from my seat to stretch.

She smiled at me, much like a cat that swallowed a canary, before she walked out to her desk, "So I woke up this morning to an empty apartment…"

"Alex--"

She returned with a coffee cup and a white to-go bag, "Had a slight panic attack, wondering where you were, when I realized that in an attempt to shield me from whatever fucked up state you'd gotten into last night, in a moronic -- albeit kind of sweet -- gesture you decided to crash here…" As she plopped the bag onto my desk and practically shoved the coffee into my hands, she added, "So I spent most of my Justin-free morning partly cleaning and partly wondering how I would make you pay for not coming home _and_, on top of all that, missing out on an awesomely home-cooked meal I made last night."

I eyed my coffee and whatever was inside the bag. "These aren't poisoned, are they?"

"FYI, shit like this is probably why you're going to remain single for the rest of your life." She sneered before stomping out to her desk, "I'm blood, so I _have to_ put up with this crap…"

Now I know why I don't get shit-faced often; the morning after rant from Alex in _addition_ to the raging remains of my hangover.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** I own nada! I don't own Alex. I don't own Justin (*sad*)… I own nothing!

**A/N:** Cookie to those that spot the obvious "Twilight" reference… LOL Jokes aside, since apparently this is my AU future-fic now, a lot of "facts" mentioned are in compliance to THIS universe and this universe alone. Not the one Disney created… Which is partly why I want to get this whole story out before the Season 3 premiere.

_**~~*~~**_

_Next Day…_

Research.

My inner geek, basically the old Justin that I like to keep suppressed, thrived on this part of the job.

Seeking important information. Browsing through texts and reports. Highlighting hard facts.

Research.

It was the reason why I became a private investigator. Sure I adored the satisfaction of getting the job done (and paid handsomely for it was a nice bonus). And of course I can't help the adrenaline rush when I step onto territory I've no right to be in (pissed off a lot of New York's finest, a tie over Alex's own record).

But there's something about being paid to do some good old fashioned -- albeit sometimes boring and time-consuming -- research that I found intriguing. Maybe I shouldn't have read all those noir books in college…

"You know," Alex entered my office. She crossed her arms, bemused, "No matter what, I can always take comfort in knowing that you were, you are, and you will forever _be_ a complete _nerd_."

She held her hand out, indicating my cluttered desk, "What's going on, Sherlock?"

I threw her a slight weary look before I continued browsing over my old spell books, "I'm just trying to figure something out…"

"Well, _duh_… I figured that much when you decided to lock yourself up in your office for the past twenty-four hours." She said obnoxiously before dragging the extra chair from across the room and placing it right next to mine's. "What's going on, Justin?"

"We know Juliet's fiance wasn't a mortal. At least, not by birthright."

"Right. He's a… what's it called…?"

"A half-and-half."

I could feel Alex's stare on me, "So what does this have to do with Rhodes?"

I shrugged. "Probably nothing… Probably everything…" I met her gaze. "I can't get what Max had said to me out of my head, you know?"

Yesterday, before I decided to bury myself with a library of spell books, I had briefly filled her in on what had happened at both the prison and Skylight Café the previous night. Especially the part about Max withholding information; regardless of whether or not it's significant to my case.

Out of habit, I noted Alex slightly caress her diamond choker. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"What?" She blinked, startled by my sudden divergent.

I eyed her clueless face and I suddenly felt my heart clutch at the sight of her. Crap.

I reached over and I gently took hold of her hand that was stroking the diamond. Softly, "Don't know what worries me more; Max wanting to kick my ass, or you subconsciously using your neck alarm as a security blanket."

Her eyes hardened, "What?"

"Alex, I should hope by now you notice that I still keep my eyes on you, even when you don't think I am. And I know you're worried about me--"

"God, stalker much?" She scoffed and wrapped her arms defensively, much like she used to when she was a teenager. "I'm not sixteen anymore, Justin. You can stop watching me like a hawk, waiting for me to fuck up."

I shook my head, "That's not why I keep an eye on you--"

She shook her head, "Forget it. We're getting off topic… So Juliet's dead fiance was a half-and-half. And this should matter because…"

I huffed at her flippant disregard. Fine. Next time Alex actually _wants_ me to "open up," I now have just cause to flip her off.

"… because of what Max had said. He referred to Charles Dye in the _present_ tense."

"But isn't he dead?" asked Alex.

I pointed, "Exactly." I fished one of the other magic books from under my papers, slamming it open and flipping through the worn pages. "Or… there's a slight chance that he's _not_."

Aha! "Ha, here it is." I slid the open book towards Alex's side of the desk, revealing a page filled with facts and diagrams to make one's head spin. Luckily I knew which part of the document to gleam the information I needed from.

Alex held a confused hand up, "What am I looking at?"

"Mumbo jumbo to most."

"Ah… that's helpful. Really. Truly clarifies things for me."

I rolled my eyes at her sarcasm, but even I had to admit it was valid considering that I wasn't much help. "Someone like Charles Dye is a rarity in the wizard world. _Because_ he's half-vampire, half-wizard. Fifty-fifty. See, there have been reports of full vampires and full wizards mating throughout the years, but the results have always been the same; the survival rate for a child born between two powerful entities are slim to nonexistent."

"Okay…" Alex nodded, encouraging me to continue.

"The reason why all has to do with the womb. A vampire woman…" I stopped for a moment, reconsidered what I was going to say, then continued, "… An _actual_ vampire woman, born of two vampires and not a vampire and mortal, has a womb only strong enough to birth a vampire. It's within their genetic coding. Anything more _powerful_ than that… well, it's like the equivalent of shoving a balloon filled with soda into a freezer."

I will admit, I got a little satisfaction in watching Alex grimace at the visual I provided her.

"Even a woman that becomes a vampire later in life has a slim to none chance of birthing a child that is a wizard. The magic that we're born with is just too powerful."

"What about vice-versa? A female wizard?" Alex asked.

I shook my head and decided to speak the language that Alex would know; pop culture. "So you remember that book you were reading two months ago? About that vampire-mortal-wolf love story?"

Alex nodded… then realization hit her so fast she almost fell out of her seat. She placed a hand over her mouth and gasped, "No shit! Really?"

"You think that woman pulled shit like that from a dream?" I smirked. "Wizards, because we're more akin to mortality that vampires, are more fragile to the human condition the likes of pregnancy. Regardless of how strong our magic is, there are some things that our bodies just _cannot_ handle. Birthing a vampire is one of them."

I watched my sister place her arms across her stomach. She looked green. "Thank God I prefer the mortal bad boys as opposed to the supernatural. The worst damage they can do to me is break my heart."

"… before I break their reproductive organs." I mumbled.

"What?"

"Anyway," I looked away from Alex and began digging up the newspaper clippings of Juliet that had Charles featured as well. "So you can see why someone like Charles Dye is a rarity."

"Justin…" There was an awe in Alex's voice. Almost as if something clicked in that evil mind of hers. Usually that's a bad thing, but I'm not picky these days. She clutched my arm and smiled, "So then wouldn't someone like him, someone as _powerful_ as a half-wizard, half-wizard, be a little harder to kill?"

I nodded. She's right. A being with bloodlines as powerful as a wizard _and_ a vampire is a force to be reckon with.

Then I flashed to a woeful image of Juliet and…

"You're right… and wrong. Because there's another reason why their kind is… practically nonexistent."

She gave a slight pout, "Oh. And that is?"

"Our bodies can only hold so much power, Alex. It's like…" I paused, trying to think of a way to explain it simply to her. "It's like… okay, you were good at chemistry and biology--"

"Surprisingly." We both simultaneously added before I continued.

"If a human were to take equal amounts of uppers and downers at the same time, essentially two different drugs that produce two very different side-effects, what would happen?"

Alex looked pale. "What?"

I sighed, because even I knew that I couldn't have put it any simpler. "Alex…"

She shook her head, "No. I mean… I understood the question. I just," she closed her eyes, "I remembered back when I--" Alex coughed, "_Started_ selling the Ex-Ps and I had warned the kids not to combine them with downers like valium and other barbiturates because Ex-P was basically a magical upper."

She closed her eyes and a flash of pain crossed her face, "This one kid, though, didn't listen… God, Justin, I was an idiot. I thought I was helping these kids that were like me, too lazy to actually summon the right amount of power…"

I nodded, because I remembered that kid. The one that started the downfall of Alex's recreational empire. I also remembered his parents' faces, asking me to bring justice to the person responsible for killing their son _and_ when, after all was said and done, I couldn't even fulfill that promise to them.

We fell into a silence. I gave Alex a moment to compose herself before I continued.

"But yeah… Same application. Two very powerful, yet different bloodlines cannot co-exist. Especially as they come into their own. So by the time the being is of age, they are given a choice; become a vampire or become a wizard." I pulled out the picture of Charles Dye. Juliet's words ringing in my head, "And then there's a third option, one that most magical beings overlook _except_ for Dye; the choice to become mortal."

"Is that even possible?" Alex asked.

I nodded and gulped as I said, "Dad did it. So why couldn't Dye? I mean, he couldn't _really_ become mortal _because_ he was half-vampire… but apparently Dye choose to lead a normal _human_ life."

Alex nodded her head again, "Okay… but I still don't see what this has to do with Rhodes."

I sighed. Alex had a point. I was basically back to square one; Juliet admitting to killing Rhodes to avenge her fiance's death.

So why am I fixated on Dye's origin?

Alex was watching and I had a feeling she knew what I was thinking. "What does your instinct say, Justin?"

"I don't know, Al." I said, "Maybe it just… It just doesn't make _sense_, you know? For someone like Dye to just -- pardon the pun -- _die_ so easily. With or without power, a being like Dye shouldn't have been murdered like he was. Especially at the hands of a junkie. A mortal one, at that."

Alex raised her brow, "Didn't Dye's killer get an acquittal?"

I sighed. "Which is Juliet's motive, at least the one she's sticking to, for murdering Rhodes."

"Justin," Alex began, hesitation in her voice, "What if this is what the Counsel was looking for? What if the reason you're stuck on Dye is because this is the evidence that the Counsel had wanted you to find?"

I stared at Alex, dread seeping into my core.

She got up and began pacing, "I know you don't want to hear this, but… what if this _was_ a crime of passion. But instead of Juliet, who we initially thought of as a -- lack of better words -- whore for sleeping with Rhodes soon after her fiance's death, was just doing it for revenge _because_ she wasn't happy with the justice system? I mean, she'd come off as a… what's that word? You know, what Joan of Arc was?"

"A martyr?"

"Yes!" She grinned, then dropped the smile when she noted the not-too-happy look on my face. "I'm sorry, Justin. It sucks to think that Juliet was capable of cold-hearted murder, but what if her intentions weren't so… cold."

I thought of Alex's words.

I thought of Juliet's words.

I thought of all the information I had gathered…

Juliet's engagement to Charles Dye. Charles being killed by a random mugging. Rhodes prosecuting the case. Charles's killer being acquitted. Juliet taking justice into her own hands by sleeping with Rhodes to get close enough to kill him.

This would have made sense if Charles Dye was born mortal.

Then I thought of what Max had slipped up and said…

"_Half-wizard… half-vampire… mortal… werewolf… mermaid… Whatever the hell Charles Dye is… doesn't matter!"_

My eyes fell to the desk, landing unintentionally to a photograph sticking out of the case file.

And suddenly I could feel the pieces slowly come together. Apart the pieces didn't make much sense… But the picture, which is still a bit blurry, was starting to. I just needed… Proof.

I snatched up the photograph, the one of Rhodes and his wife, "What is it?" I heard Alex ask, watching me as I moved away from my desk and grabbing my coat. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to talk to the one person that knew Rhodes best." I approached Alex, gave her arm a comforting squeeze, "Don't wait up for me, okay?"

I started out the door, but suddenly felt a tug around my waist. I looked down and saw Alex's hands wrapped around me and I heard her mumble words into my back.

"What?"

She stepped away and tried to look like her normal smartass tough self, "I said, don't get yourself killed. Max's not as fun to boss around."

I smiled softly before I surprised her and walked over to place a gentle kiss on the top of her head, "I love you too, brat."


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing. R&R and most important; Enjoy!

**_~~*~~_**

By the time I had left my office, the dusk was settling into the city and it was near six o'clock in the evening.

I was honestly surprised at how easily it was to track down the widow of the late D.A. (I suppose it helps to have a talisman with a GPS essence... Cost me an arm and a leg. Literally... Not mine's though. Heh.)

Then again, this was Manhattan. You want to find a grieving Manhattan socialite, you either check out the shops on 5th or some of the most known fashion shows and upscale parties.

It's a cliché that we have thanks to the likes of that Hilton chick and what's her name that's married to that Ferris Bueller guy…

I found my cliché's town car pulling up in front of Eleven Madison Park.

As I had stood outside of the restaurant, waiting for her driver to open her door, times like these I wonder why I hadn't taken up smoking. The vice would have given my badass image a noir illusion.

One pale leg stepped out. Then another.

Finally there she stood.

Mrs. Ivy Chandler-Rhodes. Tall. Silky dark hair. Legs that knew how to make heads turn. Holly Golightly glasses framing her heart-shaped face. An air of old-world charm wrapped around a Lolita-esque body. A woman like that makes you wonder why on earth her husband would take on mistress after mistress.

I observed her for a couple more seconds. Watched the way she lightly touched her driver's arm to caress a spoken word. Noticed the way he wordlessly nodded and the emptiness of his eyes… Poor human. Never stood a chance…

I straightened my coat and began making my way towards Rhodes's widow.

She was halfway towards the entrance when I gently sidestepped her and spoke softly, "Good evening, Mrs. Rhodes."

Mrs. Rhodes, who must've been used to paparazzi and curious mobs, mumbled a "No comment" and swiftly took a step away from me.

"I'm not a reporter, Mrs. Rhodes." I said, this time following her.

She turned around, lightly lowering her shades, her feline eyes assessing me. "Well, my mistake for assuming you were one. You certainly fit the profile."

I looked down at my attire; my usual black trench coat, black shirt and black jeans. I grinned lazily at her, "I was going for the badassery look. It's the new pink."

She smirked before covering her eyes once more with her shades. "Humor. Definitely not a reporter." She turned her back to me, "If you'll excuse me, I have an important engagement I need to attend to--"

I sighed. It's a risky move, but I had to do it… I reached out and grabbed her arm, "Mrs. Rhodes…"

She whipped her head around, shades gone and her eyes snarled hypnotically. In a soothing, yet vicious voice, "Let me go."

Boy I wish I had a camera to capture her face right about now. Especially as I blinked and smiled at her. Tossing her a shrug, "No."

If vampires could pale anymore than they already are…

You heard me; vampire. Mrs. Ivy-Chandler Rhodes is a vampire. By birth if I had observed her correctly.

Mortals that were _turned_ into vampires are normally able to feed on just human blood. Full vampires, however, can not only feed on human blood, but they also have the ability to slowly suck the soul out of their human slave. Much like her personal driver.

They also have this wickedly cool mind control ability that works like a dog whistle on mere humans.

But not so much on wizards.

Which is what she finally realized what I was when I added, "Nice try though. You get an A for effort if it'll make you feel any better."

She was poised and collected, I'll give her that much. Most vampires I've encountered would get pissed and attack once they figured out they couldn't use me as a puppet. But not Mrs. Rhodes; no, she assessed me once more before she softly requested for me to release her.

"Only if you promise not to bite." I winked.

"What is it you want of me, Mister…? I'm sorry," she lightly laughed, "I didn't get your name."

Here's another fun fact about full vampires that you might not have read about in your average Dracula fan site; much like inviting them into your home, you _don't _want to give them your full name. If they find it through other means, that's fine… they have less power over you. But if you voluntarily give them that information, their strength over you is greater, if not more permanent.

Which slightly explained Juliet's hold on me…

I smiled, "That's because I didn't give it."

"I never realized I'd be dealing with an uncivilized wizard. It's poor manners to hold a lady hostage without so much as letting her know by who and why."

It didn't take much force for me to ease both her and I to the side, away from the entrance of the restaurant and onto common sidewalk. "Well, I had been told my manners have sucked as of late."

"You don't know who you're dealing with," she growled, and even then she did it like a proper socialite; calm and collected.

"Actually, I do. And your kind doesn't scare me so easily." I stopped myself from adding "anymore."

"You're not a Helsing, are you?" For the first time that night, her cold eyes shattered into fear. When she took note of my silence, her eyes frosted over again, but she knew I had seen the fright. I could feel the hatred radiating off her cool skin, boy did she hate me even more now that I had caught her being weak.

I laughed, "Nah… vampire hunting doesn't pay as much. Besides, their personality sucks; what with their life's mission to serve God, destroy vamps, serve God… blah, blah, blah. I've been told I'm a geek, but even geeks have a hard-on for other species besides the undead."

"Then what are you?"

"Curious." I grinned, "I've actually been hired by the Counsel to investigate your husband's death."

She stared at me, unimpressed. "I caught the murdering bitch red-handed. Literally. What else is there to investigate?"

"Did you know she was one of your own?"

She scoffed, "I'd hardly call a tramp, not to mention a _secretary_ -- for the Mayor's Deputy or otherwise -- as one of my own."

I fought the urge to roll my eyes at her snub, "I meant on a _supernatural_ level, not caste." I looked her up and down, "Though I might be bias in saying that she certainly has more class than _some_ people…"

"I knew what you meant." She sneered, "I just had to put it out there that vampire or not, that middle-class whore is beneath me."

Mrs. Rhodes tugged her arm, and allowed for some leeway, but not by much. "We're not done," I said.

"Well, I _am_." She hissed, baring her teeth a little. "Now, unless you want a scene, imagine a helpless damsel being held captive by a thug, I suggest you let me go."

I watched her for a second, making note of her movements, for a tell of some kind… because everyone has one, including self-composed vampires.

Suddenly, I caught it. It was quick, a slight of hand if you were to blink. Thankfully I'm good at what I do, so I was able to catch sight of her free hand protectively cover her stomach.

I quirked a brow and released my hold on her. I allowed a shrug, "Sorry, my bad."

Mrs. Rhodes straightened herself. Smoothing out her dress, her hand once more hovering a second longer than need be right above her stomach, she stared at me with distaste, "You should be. The Counsel will be hearing from me…"

She started walking away, but not before I called out to her, "So when's the due date?"

Her head was held high. She was tough, I had to give her that. Especially as she refused to turn back and give me the satisfaction of showing weakness once more. She had slowed her pace, but I knew. I knew I had gotten to her.

I slowly made my way towards her, keeping my voice low enough from the general public, yet still loud enough for her to hear, "I apologize for handling you the way I did. Especially in your _condition_. It must be… _difficult_. Losing your husband is one thing… but losing the _father_ of your child…"

And because I can't help pushing vampire buttons and being an all out asshole. "It _is_ Rhodes, isn't it?"

That stopped her. She spun around and stalked towards me, hands clenched and waiting to smack me a good one. "How _dare_ you--"

"That was a bit out of line…" I mused. "My apologies, Mrs. Rhodes."

"I _spit_ on your apology. And don't think I won't have a word with the Counsel on the slander your spewing about me _and_ my dead husband!"

I pointed at her mid-section, "I think I insulted your child as well."

Rather than deny my words, she further confirmed them when her hand instinctively covered her stomach, "What do you want of me?"

In a hushed, yet serious tone, "I just want to talk. That's all."

"About?"

"Your husband. His relationship with Juliet…" Her eyes narrowed at the mention of her husband's mistress, but I noticed they widened curiously when I added, "… and his connection to Charles Dye."

And there you have it folks! Mrs. Rhodes looked at me, intrigued for the first time since we met. If I had known name-dropping Charles Dye would have gotten her attention, I would have done it before I even mentioned Juliet's name.

"Charles Dye? What does Mr. Dye have to do with my husband's death?"

I shrugged, "Don't know… but see, I'm having a hard time believing that your husband's death isn't connected to Dye's own murder. Especially since Dye was what that child," again I pointed at her stomach and once more she protected it with her hands, "is going to be."

She continued to glare at me, "My child will _not_ be human."

"No, but neither was Dye."


	15. Chapter 15

**Just In Case File: 001 - Fangs For the Memories**

**Summary:** Justin Russo; brother, private eye, and family wizard. Welcome to his hell.

**Rating:** T for language and adult situation.

**Disclaimer:** Not mine. I wish… but not mine.

**A/N:** I know it seemed FOREVER since I last posted. I had gotten sick the past week or so, thus I just couldn't sum up the power to even sit up, much less post. But I'm also a person that sticks to deadlines (odd considering that procrastination is my friend). So, to make up for lack of updates, I'm posting multiple chapters in order to accomplish my "By Friday, air date of the newest Wizards of Waverly Place episode" deadline.

Read and Review… but most importantly; ENJOY!

**_~~*~~_**

We agreed to meet later that evening at her home in the Upper East Side.

So while Mrs. Rhodes was smoozing with the rich and the elite, I spent my time hanging out at the Skylight Café… relaxing.

No alcohol. This time.

Just a tonic minus the vodka. Barry added a zest of lime, citing that I looked like I needed something _stronger_ than just tonic.

She was right. I needed something stronger. But after the previous night's mind fuck, I think I'll be okay for now.

I told Barry that I was going to hang at my booth, to give me a holler if trouble comes calling for me. She obliged, knowing full well that she'll be calling my name within the hour or so.

Because it's me and I've realized, along with everyone else, that trouble is never far behind.

_**~~*~~**_

Thirty minutes later…

"Hey Justin," Barry approached my booth, handing me another tonic with a lime. She winked at me and nodded her head at the door. "Trouble's here."

I smiled at Barry, thanking her for the heads-up. "Knew she'd find me eventually." I said.

I didn't need to look up to know who had been looking for me. What did surprise me, however, was her guest.

"Hey, handsome," Alex was in a chirper mood compared to this morning. Her smile matched the dazzle of her diamond choker. As she slid into the booth, "Look who I found. You're favorite brother!"

"Hey, Beauty," I teased back before glancing at Max and giving him a bitter grin, "Beast."

He looked anything but beastly, preppy in a polo and jeans, however the scowl on his face said otherwise. Max looked me over before sitting himself next to Alex, "Phantom of the Opera, much?"

I finished my tonic, inwardly wishing I had ordered something stronger, before warning him, "Keep it up, little brother. You're on my territory, and I'm sober enough to keep your smart mouth in check this time around."

"Max…" Alex whined, looking at him with her patent puppy eyes (we're both suckers for them and she knows it). "Get me a drink, would ya? While I talk to Justin?"

Max nodded, though his scowl was still on me. I watched him slide out and away from the booth before I hollered, "Hey Barry! Keep the tabs running tonight. Baby brother's paying again."

I felt the sting of Alex's glare more so than her punch on my arm as she slid closer to me. "You're a jerk, you know that?"

I returned her glare, "What's he doing here?"

"Believe it or not, he was actually worried about you."

"Why?"

"He stopped by the office, an hour after you left. Wanted to talk to you. Actually wanted to apologize for how he's been acting lately… Said that he's been stressed--"

I rolled my eyes, "Stressed? Max can't even _begin_ to understand what stress is. Tell him to talk to me after he's seen his siblings put through hell that is the Wizard Justice System, not to mention the shit _I've_ gone through just to keep whatever's left of this family afloat." I sighed as I toyed with my empty glass, "Is it any wonder why I drink?"

Alex rolled her own eyes, "God, you're such a whiny martyr! Joan didn't even bitch when she was being flayed alive!"

I smirked, slightly proud that Alex remembered the word this time around.

"Look," she began, her eyes pleading, "Just listen to him, okay? When I told him that you left to look for Rhodes's wife, Max started panicking. And you know Max! He's just as good as you are at the whole 'macho bullshit never let them see you sweat' thing."

I stared at her, "Really?"

"Justin, he was afraid for you. Said that you can't face Mrs. Rhodes. Not alone. That you didn't know what you were getting into." She explained, the pleading in her eyes turning into genuine fear. "You were right to suspect that Max knows more than he's letting on, but you were wrong in thinking that he's keeping things from us just to piss you off. He was doing it to _protect_ us, Justin. To protect _you_."

"I'm the older brother, Al. He's not supposed to be doing my job."

We heard footsteps approaching our table. Then glasses clinking as they were placed in front of us. Max shrugged, his scowl no longer on his face, and his voice was tired, "Well what am I supposed to do when you keep putting yourself into dangerous waters? Not to mention dragging our sister into it?"

I sat up straighter, "You know, as a courtesy to our sister, I'm going to give you," I glanced at my pocket watch, "Oh, _two seconds_ to plead your case."

"Justin." Alex snapped.

"Fine, five minutes." I sighed. Alex's bark was more effective than her puppy eyes.

Max smirked, sitting himself across from me, "You're so whipped."

"How's Harper, by the way?" I retorted.

Alex shot him a look, while Max started turning red. He quickly composed himself, however, before downing his shot of whiskey. He looked at me, his voice serious, "Don't go looking for Mrs. Rhodes."

I shrugged, "Okay, I won't."

He looked at me, shocked, "Really?"

I smirked, "That's because I already found her. We're meeting up at her place later on tonight."

"Don't do it, Justin." He warned, "You don't know what you're getting into."

My eyes challenged him, "So enlighten me."

He sighed, his hands fiddling with his empty glass. I watched Max, not the type to be afraid to say what he's thinking, hesitate with his words.

Finally, "So, you've probably figured out that Mrs. Rhodes is a vampire."

I nodded, "Yeah…"

"Did you know that she's been trying to get pregnant?"

I held my tongue. I could reveal to Max about Mrs. Rhodes's pregnancy, but I wanted to see just how far I can push him for more information. "Really?"

"For years now…" He took a look around, his demeanor cagey, "See, just like a lot of us in the wizard community, she's heard stories of people like Dye. Half-and-half's. She married Rhodes not only because he was a successful lawyer, but mainly because he was one of those wizards that was as intrigued with the idea of raising a half-and-half as she."

"Go on." I encouraged him.

"They never really gave it a go. Getting pregnant, that is. Mainly because the risk was greater than the reward. I've been in the company of people like Rhodes long enough to know that they would rather play it smart and safe than dumb and risky. Both Rhodes and his wife came from money, so for the first couple years of their marriage they've spent money on researching how to heighten the odds of procreating a half-and-half."

Alex made a face, "Did that mean for a good portion of their marriage they--"

Max shrugged, "There were talk in their inner circle that Mrs. Rhodes's baby fever was so immense that it drove her husband into the arms of other women. So I wouldn't put it past gossip to have some sliver of truth."

I watched Alex roll her eyes, "Wow… abstinence _after_ marriage. What a concept."

Max chuckled before he paused to take another drink.

"How do you know all this, Max?" Alex asked.

He gave her a sad smile, "I have friends… that have friends… that have… _friends_."

Alex closed her eyes and sighed. Once more I noticed her worry as she began anxiously caressing her diamond choker. I diverted my eyes away from her, turning them back to Max.

He continued, "Did you know that one of the biggest supporter for Dye's causes happened to be the Rhodes?"

I raised my tonic, "Surprise, surprise."

"There were… talk. Some say that Dye accepted the monetary support. In exchange, he did some… _private work_ on behalf of the Rhodes. His people have no idea what for, but Juliet knew. He was marrying her, wanting to spend the rest of his life with her. Dye had told Juliet everything."

I opened my mouth, a bit startled by Max using Juliet's name. He had beaten me to punch however when he added, "You think you're the only Russo Juliet has kept tabs on?"

I'd be lying if I said that revelation wasn't hurtful. "You've been talking to Juliet all this time?"

Max shrugged, "I met her fiance long before Juliet started confiding in me about her fear for Dye."

Crappy thing about being sober? When your action gets out of control because you couldn't keep your emotions in check, you can't blame the alcohol when you come off looking like a jackass. I felt my fists clench at the jealous thought that my ex-girlfriend and my little brother had kept a friendship behind my back.

Thankfully Alex reached over and placed a gentle hand on mine, her way of keeping me grounded. I breathed, then asked, "What was she afraid of?"

"What the Rhodes were going to do to him once he fulfilled his end of the bargain." He stated it bluntly, yet you could sense the anger in his words. "See, three weeks before their wedding, Juliet had asked me what I knew of the Rhodes. She was concerned that Dye had been coming home, after working for them, tired… dizzy… paler than usual. Juliet was always told by him that it was 'nothing to worry about.' That his involvement with the Rhodes will be over soon and that 'they could start thinking about their own family.'"

I pieced together most of the puzzle in my head before Max had a chance to explain. He said, "Juliet suspected that they'd kill Dye after they got what they wanted from him. That once they figured out his genetic make-up, they can possibly clone it with their own DNA, and create a child like Dye. Juliet was afraid that the Rhodes, very powerful people in the magical community, were the types to get what they want by whatever means necessary and as quiet as possible."

Max took another drink. His eyes were hollow with guilt. "After the body had been discovered in the Hudson, Juliet's fears were confirmed." He sighed, "The week of his death, I tried to talk Dye out of seeing the Rhodes. Told him to just take Juliet, elope, and get out of Manhattan. But Justin," Max looked at me, "Dye's a rarity. Not just in the magical sense… But in the human spirit. Despite it all, he didn't believe that the Rhodes would just use him like that. He believed that whatever sacrifice he was making of himself, the money that Rhodes gave him could help so many others."

I glanced at Alex, seeing her own face turning ill. "Oh shit…" She looked over at me, "Poor Juliet…"

I nodded. Because in the end, without realizing it, Dye not only sacrificed himself; but he sacrificed the rest of Juliet's life as well. And for what? What was the ultimate gain?

Money? A further understanding about half-and-half's? I had so many more questions, and usually me asking a lot gets me into a whole shit storm of trouble.

… well, I'm used to trouble. So why the hell not?

I slid out from my seat. Max and Alex watching me. I didn't need to look into Alex's eyes to know that they were troubled.

She knew what I was going to do. And she was going to make it hell for me to do it alone.

"Where are you going?" Max asked.

Alex followed suit, her eyes burning into me. "He's going to do something stupid." She stood behind me as I was adjusting my coat and making sure my pockets were filled with the necessary items; my wallet, silver wand, .45 Colt, pouch of emergency invisibility powder… my usual carry-on's.

I felt her hand, fragile on my arm, tug fiercely until I hand no choice but to look at her. "Alex…"

"Don't do it." She pleaded. Alex had foregone using the puppy dog eyes. She had brought out the big guns; her brown eyes were wide and glassy with tears waiting to burst. "_Please_, Justin. You can't see her. At least not without a plan!"

I couldn't help it. My exterior had years of experience being the badass big brother. I smirked at her, "You never begged me to stay out of a case before. And I had gotten into worst scrapes. Remember the dragon poison incident six months ago? We all thought I was a goner, but I beat it… _and_ the dumb-ass that injected me with it."

"That was different." She argued.

"It was." I nodded, "At least the dumb-ass was a NYU lab student just trying to extract revenge on his teacher for raping him. I'm now dealing with a pregnant vampire socialite that may or may not be carrying a half-and-half."

Both my siblings gasped, "She's pregnant?"

I nodded again, "Don't forget the part about the half-and-half."

Max stood up as well, standing next to Alex. "Bro, you can't go. If she's really with child, do you have any idea how dangerous she can be now? You really think that after all they've done to get this child, that Mrs. Rhodes is just going to give it all up without a fight?"

I shrugged, "I've punched out women before." I wasn't afraid to admit that. I pointed to our lovely bartender, "Even Barry's allowed me to take a couple of swings at her."

"Justin…" Both of them simultaneously sighing in aggravation.

"I'm just saying that I can handle her. Besides, I have immunity."

"Immunity against a pregnant vampire? What is it? Garlic and peanut butter pizza for her insane cravings?" Alex snorted.

I couldn't help the small laugh that escaped my lips. "Funny… No. If Mrs. Rhodes is as smart as we're convinced she is, she wouldn't dare harm me. By now I've probably given her enough time to call up the Counsel and for them to confirm that 'yes' they hired me to help them with prosecuting her late husband's killer. Do you really think she's going to fuck up a case that _doesn't _have her manicured prints on them?"

Max and Alex shared a look. One that I'm used to seeing from them; that I'm right, yet… I could be wrong.

God I love those two and their unwavering faith in me.

I sighed and reached over to Alex. I gently tucked a stray piece of her hair behind her ear. Softly I promised, "I'll be okay, Al. I'm just going to go over and ask Mrs. Rhodes a couple of questions."

I stepped back and looked at Max, "Thanks for coming to me, Max. But you don't need to worry so much. I'll be okay."

I gave Alex a comforting hug and Max a strong pat on his arm.

"Besides, what's the worst she could do to me? Bore me to death with high society gossip? Poison me with her tea and scones?"

Yeah…

I should have listened to them.


	16. Chapter 16

**_~~*~~_**

"Mr. Russo," her butler had formally addressed me. As he held the door open for me, "The Lady of the house is in the common room. Shall I take your coat?"

I took a step back from him, holding a defensive hand out, "Takes Alfred, but I got this."

The partly bald and ageing butler (because really, he was a walking cliché) gave me a perturbed look. "My name's Jonah. _Not_ Alfred. And I heavily insist on taking your coat."

I grinned at him, though my smile was anything but friendly. "And I heavily insist, _Jeeves_, that if you take my coat it will be over your dead body."

He held his hands up in defeat, "Suit yourself, Mr. Russo. I was, after all, trying to make it a bit easier on you."

I gave him a curious look, "A bit easier--? Wha--! Oh… Hey!"

And that's when I felt the burly hands start molesting their way around my body.

Great. A pat down. I sighed. At least I was somewhat expecting this… Thank God my coat was enchanted with hidden pockets within the _hidden_ inner pockets. Let him try to find the good shit.

I half cocked my head, holding my hands out and glancing behind me at the big white wrestler dressed in a suit, channeling Will Smith's Agent J. "What? Not even an invite to dinner and you think you can get to second base with me? I'm not _that_ easy, buddy."

"Could've fooled me, sir." His baritone voice boomed with a slight sarcasm.

Nice. A sarcastic bodyguard. You don't often see those working for the rich.

He removed my .45 and my silver wand from its hiding places, causing me to sigh at him. "You seriously think I'd use those on a vampire bitch whose pinkie _alone_ is worth half the city of Brooklyn?"

His hands slid into another pocket, pulling out a wooden stake. He raised a brow at me, and I shrugged with a smirk, "What? I like to go camping."

Bubba, though I have a feeling his real name is probably Percy, spun me around and did one final pat down before he nodded at the butler. "He's clean."

Jonah smiled, "Follow me, sir."

"After all that and not even an escort from tall, white, and intimidating?" I slightly pouted, "I feel used."

"Sorry… I don't like 'em scrawny." Bubba remarked.

As I started following the butler, I glanced at Bubba as he held onto my toys. I tossed him a wink, "Take care of my babies for me."

From one of the hallway mirrors, I took note of Bubba rolling his eyes at me and tossing my weapons into a plastic baggie. He then proceeded to chuck them into the closet.

I sighed and, four seconds later, snapped my fingers. Feeling secured with having my gun and wand back, I shook my head. God I always fall for the dumb ones…

_**~~*~~**_

Alex had gone through a phase where she was obsessed with the television series "Gossip Girl." First off; you never heard this tidbit from me. Alex may not have her powers anymore but I've seen first-hand what she could do with a mere cigarette lighter. Secondly; since when did a series about rich New Yorkers become so popular?

Anyway, imagine one of their penthouse suites? You got that image in your head? Good.

Now take that image and add a bit more gawdy heirlooms here and there and you have Mrs. Rhodes' home. As I was escorted into the common room, I took note of a lot of her marble statues and wondered what castle she had raided.

Speaking of castle, Mrs. Rhodes sat atop what could arguable _be_ a throne if the seating wasn't made entirely of leather. There was a matching beige sofa set and love seat across from her, which is where Jonah insisted yours truly on taking a seat upon.

But before I had a chance to sit, Mrs. Rhodes stood up and extended her hand. "Mr. Russo. Now we can be formally acquainted."

Mrs. Rhodes. She really was breath-taking. No longer did she have the Golightly glasses to hide her cat-like eyes, which were a hypnotic shade of silver. She remained in her simple black dress, probably more so for public image of a mourning widow. Her dark-brown hair, glossy and loose, seemed to emit a slight halo under the house lights. And her legs. Damn.

Luckily my libido was so used to the vampire glamour that I was able to keep my mind in check and not fall under her spell. But damn it if I wasn't a male that hadn't been laid in… well, shit… years.

I took her cold hand, gently shook it. "Which pigeon squealed my name?"

As I finally took a seat, Mrs. Rhodes following suite, she waved her hand wistfully, "Oh, the one with the annoying gum snapper for a secretary."

I nodded, "Chase. And trust me when I say that the secretary is a breath of fresh-air compared to him, Mrs. Rhodes."

She made a face, "Please, call me Ivy. Mrs. Rhodes was my mother-in-law and, if I can be frank, I positively loathed the old cow…" I watched as she stood up and proceeded to the silver beverage cart positioned behind me. "Before we begin, would you like a drink, Mr. Russo? You look like a Scotch man. One ice or two?"

I held up three fingers. "I like my Scotch the way I like my women; cold."

I'm not stupid. There was a chance she might drug my drink. I knew it. Bet she knew of my suspicions as well.

But I wasn't rude either. Which is why I accepted the glass of whiskey and prayed that my high tolerance for alcohol worked its magic, especially since I was already sober as fuck.

I stood up, gentlemanly as I could be, and sat down in sync with Ivy. I could feel her eyes assessing me before she spoke again in between sips of her own glass of water. "So, what questions did you need to ask that you couldn't have found out for yourself, Mr. Russo?"

"For starters, what can you tell me of your relationship with Charles Dye?"

She raised a trim brow at my question. "It was Andrew that had the _relationship_ with Charles. What with their families being close and all. But as for _my_ relationship with him? I hardly call a _mutual acquaintance _with the man as relationship. Though I did feel pity for him when I discovered his intentions to marry beneath himself."

I watched the ice in my cup swirl in the whiskey remains. My hatred for snobs boiling that I inwardly counted to five in order to remain cool. "Pity, huh? Did your _pity_ for him extend well after your husband had him killed?"

Half of the population believe that when a vampire laughs, it's the equivalent of bells chiming. The other half equate it to death singing. Ivy Rhodes? Well, her laughter did sound like tinkling bells… but her eyes had death shining like diamonds.

"So… your reputation _does_ proceed you well, Mr. Russo. How in heaven's name did you figure that out?" She sat up straighter, which is a ridiculous concept considering that her body was already erect like a board. "Was it the fact that Andrew, who, if I may be blunt, scored just as much whores on the street as he does cases in court, lost so easily a trial as Mr. Dye's murder? Or was it something that tramp seductress told you?"

I should be surprised. No, really. I should be. I wasn't expecting her to admit to the accusation.

But I was numb -- surprisingly -- when I replied, "You're not denying my accusation?"

"Not at all." She grinned. My eyes were focused on her as I saw her give a slight nod. I didn't need to turn my head to realize that it was a cue for Bubba to step closer into the room, thus eclipsing any escape. Then again… maybe I didn't feel the need because…

Crap. That was fast… When did I stop feeling sensations from the neck down?

Or up?

I watched her stand up and to refill her glass of water. Her moves were effortless, almost like a shadow escaping a lit room that was being darkened. "You're a smart man, Mr. Russo. From what Mr. Worth had filled me in on, you're the type of wizard that my husband would have _loved_ to out-smart… and _I_ would have loved to see _him_ get -- oh what is that word? Oh, yes -- _schooled_ by your wits." She turned to face me, "Would you like a refill?"

I hadn't realized that I had finished my drink, but lo and behold as I see my empty glass that I had. Wow…

Whiskey, _especially_ Scotch, should not be as sweet as it was.

Seeing the anger in my eyes, the only parts of my body that I still _felt_ that I could control, Ivy nodded, "I guess that would be a no." She shrugged and made her way back to her seat, "Anyway, where was I? Ah, yes. I was complimenting your intelligence. By now, you've probably figured out that I did indeed poison your drink."

I knew there was a reason why I couldn't _verbally_ convey my surprise. My jaw felt the same paralysis my entire body felt; numb.

"A shame, really." She sighed into her water, "For someone as smart as you to fall so easily into a trap like a poisoned drink." Ivy took another long sip after quoting, "_'Here's drink -- I drink to thee.'_"

I'm not stupid. I've done my research on this woman. Which is why I wasn't at all surprised that this Shakespearean socialite decided to poison me with probably the same crap that the infamous star-crossed lovers used.

I could feel my brain start to dull due to the effects of the drug. Shit. Not now. Not when she's engaged in the oldest cliché in the Villain's Book; revealing the Master Plan to the fallen hero before "killing" them.

As if reading my mind, "Oh please," she scoffed, "The amount of belladonna I used should at least sedate you for the time being. I'm not going to kill you. At least not at the moment." Ivy waved her hand, acknowledging Bubba to come forward and hold my body up before it slumped itself to the floor.

"And I'm not going to admit to murdering Charles Dye, either. Because I didn't kill him." She placed a gentle hand on her stomach, "He's too important for us to incur such a crime…

"I will admit; my husband had him killed. As far everyone knows; Charles Dye perished months ago. At least the _human_ that he _once_ was." Her face gnarled in disgust at the word "human." But like any woman of wealth, she naturally botoxed herself to smile flawlessly at me, "I bet you're wondering _why_? Why all the mystery and the conspiracy?"

Actually I was wondering how much longer did I have to wait for her to reveal everything to me and then proceed to "dispose" of my body in some dark alley. Soon, I hope. I didn't need much brain cells to summon the satchel in my hidden pocket, removing and then ingesting its contents; a healing carnation potion that Alex always insisted I carry.

But I sure as hell wasn't going to pull that wild card just yet…

Ivy must've confused my blank "Get on with it" stare for the effects of the belladonna drug. "Uh-oh. Looks like you're about ready to pass out on me. I guess I might've put a bit too much in your drink" She sighed and looked up at her enforcer, "Ronald, help Mr. Russo to his feet and bring him downstairs."

Huh. Guess I'm 0-2 tonight. Bit disappointed that he's name wasn't Percy.

Like a cat about to pounce on dinner, Ivy grinned, "Before he blacks out, there's someone I think he should meet."


	17. Chapter 17

**_~~*~~_**

I blacked out.

But not before meeting the creature that nightmare's birth into our fragile psyche.

**_~~*~~_**


	18. Chapter 18

**Just In Case File: 001 - Fangs For the Memories**

**Summary:** Justin Russo; brother, private eye, and family wizard. Welcome to his hell.

**Rating:** T for language and adult situation.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing… So sad.

**A/N:** Okay… we're coming upon the home stretch! Tomorrow, in honor of the season premiere of WOWP I will be posting the final chapter AND epilogue of the first Just In Case File. As always, my faithful readers… R&R and ENJOY!

_**~~*~~**_

Manhattan is an island. The East and Hudson (even the Harlem) rivers encompass our little corner of the world.

Unlike, say, a tropical island; with more grass than concrete; Manhattan is an urban jungle. Full of buildings (occupied and abandoned) and alleyways (occupied and abandoned). Between the labyrinth that make up most of the lower half of this island, a wide park takes up a good chunk of the upper half.

Which is why it took my siblings nearly three days to discover the whereabouts of my body.

Abandoned homeless shelter nestled in between two alleys that are the current residents of the homeless. God loves his fuckin' irony.

How'd they find me? Apparently, Max brokered a favor from an ex-girlfriend, a former stripper turned Wicca Priestess, and had her locate me using an old-fashioned method; the talisman spinning over a map trick. Very old school, very time-consuming, but a lot more effective than most.

I'm not dead by the way.

I probably looked like it because I might've resembled like the crap that shit puked up. According to Alex, I smelled just as bad. Not even the smell of alcohol I had apparently been bathed in could mask the putrid rot I reeked.

Guess Ivy Rhodes wanted to cover her bases were my body to be discovered by the cops. Why officers, who are you going to believe; an alcohol-smelling, looks like crap "wizard" or a high society widow in mourning?

Yeah… I wouldn't believe me either.

"Oh Justin…"

Three days for them to find me. A couple more days for me to even get my strength back. Much less my sanity. Damn it, I'm never drinking whiskey again.

On the day I actually came to, I felt a soft hand on my forehead, gently coaxing my brow. "I can't lose you, you moron."

Apparently when they found me, I had been babbling incoherently and unconsciously. At the time, they never thought much of it. And why should they? I had been missing for days. When they finally found me, I looked like death played vacation with my body.

"How's he doing, Al?"

"How do you think, Max? We should have _never_ let him see her alone!"

"He's a big boy, Alex. Besides, it's not like we didn't warn--"

"She could've killed him! I'm not the stupid sister you once knew. I took a sample of his blood when you were out getting the ingredients I needed for the elixir. And you wanna know what I found? Traces of banewort. You know what that's also called? Death's herbs! This vampire bitch almost killed Justin and you have the balls to stand there and act like his near death was _nothing_?"

I need to remind myself to enhance Alex's chemistry set.

I groaned. My eyes batted against the harsh sunlight that was seeping into the apartment. Next time I get a mean hangover, I'm going to remind myself of this morning. "How the hell is a guy supposed to rest with all this yelling?"

I looked up and the first sight I see is Alex, her eyes red from crying and her smile as bright as the diamond on her neck. I took note that once again she was wearing my sweatshirt before I smiled at her and gently reached up to cradle her face, "Damn it, I'm in hell aren't I?"

Her laugh never sounded so sweeter, as she swatted my hands away, "Fuck you, Justin. I'm pretty enough for God to accept my evil plans."

"That's what he said to Lucifer…" I grunted, slowly sitting myself up.

"Hey Justin…" Max, wearing an unkempt suit, was looking at me as if he just stepped on my robot. Again. "Listen, I'm sorry--"

I held my hand up, "Max… just come here and give me a hug before I pass out from exhaustion."

Both my siblings wrapped their arms around me before I gently laid back on my couch.

"So… who wants to hear the good news?" I said as Alex excused herself into the kitchen.

Max sat on the coffee table, "Isn't the fact that you're still breathing after meeting with the dragon lady good enough news for you?"

"Nope." Both Alex and I simultaneously responded. She plopped herself next to me, handing a steaming cup. "Here," she ordered, "Drink."

I did. And I made a face.

"Wow…" I breathed. I looked at Alex, "That's pretty _potent_. This isn't your usual chamomile potion, huh?"

"Well that wasn't your average _poison_ you ingested, Justin." She smirked, "Don't worry, the aftertaste doesn't last long. If you weren't naturally allergic to cinnamon, I would have used it as opposed to the bay leaf and carnation mixture I had made."

I took a couple more sips before Max asked, "So what exactly is your good news?"

I hoped for casual, but as I said it I knew my hands were shaking at the memory.

"Charles Dye is alive."

Alex's hands swiftly covered her mouth as she softly gasped in shock. Her eyes were wide, "What?!"

I glanced at Max, taking note that his reaction was the opposite of surprise. His eyes were averted, his body tense as he wrung his hands anxiously. This only confirmed my suspicions that Max had known all along of what had become of Charles Dye's fate.

I closed my eyes, partly willing for the memory… and yet… and yet the nightmare…

_Streaks of blood on the descending staircase…_

_Four clawed slash marks on the walls…_

_High-pitched wails of agony… of pain… of bloodlust…_

"Justin?" I felt a delicate hand on mine, her voice pulling me back to the safe harbor of her presence. I opened my eyes and met Alex's worried face, "What happened to you in that house?"

I willed my heart to stop racing faster than my brain was processing. I took a breath before saying, "Charles Dye is alive… I saw him… Or what was left of his humanity…"


	19. Chapter 19

_**~~*~~**_

I wasn't crazy. Sure I've seen my fair share of shit; my mom as a living popsicle, my dad's dead body, vampires, kissed a werewolf, monsters… monsters…

Huh. Funny word… Monsters…

You know there are two types, right? The human kind and, of course, the actual crap from nightmares.

We're all, in our own special way, monsters. Us "humans" are more than capable of thinking up, and more so acting upon, these horrible ideas; murder, torture, genocide, sadism, rape… The list goes on…

So I wonder. Wonder how it came that it started from an idea between a power-hungry high society couple… and it ended with an actual living, breathing, flesh-eating creature that was once a kind and gentle humanitarian.

Because I'm not crazy when I say that Charles Dye is alive… just not human anymore.

_**~~*~~**_

_Steel bars caged him…_

_His eyes… catlike… blue… like the hottest part of the flame…_

_His skin… Under the florescent lighting… Sparkled… Green… Like Emeralds…_

_The smell… Rotten eggs… and Acid… and Death…_

_He was enraged… He was in agony… He was hungry…_

_He was an it… and It howled to escape…_

_**~~*~~**_

I was the one that had seen the ugly Missing Link, and yet it was Alex that was pacing frantically back and forth in the living room.

While Max had excused himself to the bathroom, I was on my third cup of the chamomile elixir as I watched her. I can already see the gears in the evil brain of hers churning. By the time she turned to face me, I had mentally predicted the words to spew from her angry lips; "What the _fuck_ did they inject him with?! I mean, I can imagine countless of drugs and potions that can mess with our D.N.A-- but what they did to genetically alter Charles Dye has got to be _beyond_ the normal experimentations! Especially if Dye is a half-and-half!" Her eyes were dancing wildly, "Oh shit, can you imagine how fuckin' sick his original genetic make-up was?!"

Have I mentioned that Alex had never grown out of her "experimental phase"?

I stood up and snapped my fingers in front of her, "Alex! Crazy lady scientist mode is what started this screwed up adventure in the first place. Focus!"

"Oh! Right…" She blinked before blushing furiously, "Sorry." Alex finally sat herself next to me, "So, what do you think happened to him and what can we do to save him?"

I sighed and rubbed my temple, "I'm not quite sure myself as to the _how _it happened…"

"Juliet wasn't sure either."

Our eyes set themselves upon Max, who had quietly returned without our noticing. He was leaning against the door frame, arms crossed and clearly distressed. "She had her theories as to what they were doing the last weeks leading up to his 'death'… but none of them were confirmed until she stumbled upon _this_."

We watched him walk over to his messenger bag, opening it up and then tossing me a brown leather-bound book. It didn't take a genius to realize that, upon opening, it was a journal. But not just any journal… "Dye was keeping tabs on their experiments." I breathed, looking up at Max.

Max nodded, "Dye was stupid to keep this from Juliet… but considering the shit that's written in there, turns out he wasn't that stupid after all." He sighed, "The day of Dye's 'death,' Juliet had snooped into his office and discovered his journal. She was going to confront him on it later that night, but he never returned home. During the trial, Juliet confided in me about his notes and handed the journal to me. She had a feeling that this 'trial' was a ruse and that it would end in an acquittal. If she was right -- which turns out she was -- then she needed to know that his journal would be in safe hands."

My eyes were still on the journal as I assumed that, "The night of Rhodes's death, she had gone to their house to confront them on Dye's notes. Blackmail them, as it was, to tell her the truth."

I didn't need to look up at Max to tell that he was nodding his head, "Yeah… which is why she had given me the original. Juliet had gone over there with copies, because she couldn't take the chance of them taking away the one connection she has to tying them to Dye's 'murder.'"

I felt Alex move closer so that she too could skim through the pages of notes he's kept. There was a lot of numbers and formulas and a few names of medicine and herbs. I ended up handing the journal to Alex, figuring that between the two of us, she was the one most likely to figure out what went wrong.

While she poured over Dye's notes, I regarded Max. "Why'd you keep this from us, little brother?"

He leaned himself against the wall opposite of me, his face a war of emotions conflicting. "There are _things_ in my life that I have to keep confidential, Justin. Even from my family. Some of those secrets are usually best kept because it would do more harm than good were they to be discovered. Besides, Juliet had asked me… _pleaded_ with me to keep that journal a secret."

I mused, "It would have saved me a whole lot of trouble if I had known what I was going up against."

Max laughed, "Since when in your lifetime have you been trouble-_free_? If you're not seeking it, you certainly are babysitting it."

Alex, though her head was still in the journal, raised her middle finger at Max.

Ignoring her gesture, Max continued, "Besides, Justin, you were given a job to do the complete _opposite_ of what you're doing now!"

"But Juliet _is_ innocent! I know the truth! And because of that, I can't help them build a case against her." I closed my eyes and shuddered at the memory. "If you've seen what's become of Dye, you'd know damn well that Rhodes deserved his death! And besides, I wouldn't put it past Ivy as the real killer and pining it all on Juliet."

"Damn it, Justin!" Max cried, his eyes furious, "Do you seriously still believe that everything in this world is just black-and-white? Right and wrong? Good guys and bad guys? Us versus them? Are you that stupid to think that there are no in betweens? No shades of gray?"

Max started pacing now and I was conflicted whether to smack him or comfort him. I watched him slowly begin to unhinge from whatever secret he was desperately trying to protect.

I stood up slowly, reaching out to him, "Max… dude… okay. Help me then. Help me see that shade of gray… Tell me what's going on…"

Max walked over to the window. He was quiet, probably contemplating his next move. Much of what we are now are based upon what had happened to us in the past… Max's a lot more thoughtful. A lot more strategic. Hell, Max is probably what I would have been had I not gone through the shit storm that was my life.

So I knew he would do the right thing and just tell me the truth. He turned around and smiled, "Fuck it. The Counsel already hates my ass."

Alex raised her fist in solidarity, though her attention was still focused on the journal. "Right on, brother!"

I nudged her foot with my own before turning to Max. "So… what's the big secret?"

"The big secret is that Juliet didn't kill Rhodes."

"I knew it." I smiled.

"Nor was it his wife…" Max trailed off reluctantly before wiping the smile off my face by saying, "It was Charles. Charles Dye killed Rhodes. That's the secret that Juliet had asked me to keep."

I found myself sitting back down. Stunned.

Fuck, man, I hate being surprised!

Even Alex managed to turn her attention away from Dye's notes to gawk in shock.

"So," Alex said, "This whole time Juliet said she did it… she was actually _protecting_ her supposedly 'dead' fiance?"

"What happened that night?" I found myself asking out loud.

What the fuck happened the night of Rhodes's murder?

Max shrugged, "I don't know, man." He walked over to sit down on my coffee table. "All I know is from what Juliet had told me before they transferred her from Rikers to W.C.F."

"And that was…"

"She was careful with her words that night. I think maybe because her lawyer was standing outside… Y'know, at the time it didn't make any sense but…" Max shook his head and sighed, "Anyway, she told me to pay attention and then she said that _he_ was alive… that _he_ was provoked… that _he_ had been tested… that the test had gone wrong and… and… that Ivy caught them _in time_… said that she'll have the _monster_ killed because of the crime unless she did the _right thing_…" Max paused, "God I need a drink."

"I think we all need one." Alex agreed.

"I didn't understand, Justin. Not at the time." Max said, "None of what she had told me made any sense…" He nodded at Dye's journal, "Until I looked over his notes and put two-and-two together…"

I nodded at him, "And discovered what she actually meant."

"The Counsel's not going to like this." Alex piped up. She closed the journal and turned to us. "They're not going to like this _at all_."

I shrugged, "Because there's one less stuck-up debutante bitch parading New York? Plus, I would like to think we're doing her unborn spawn a favor by removing it into foster care and away from a psychopath."

Alex smiled brightly at me, "Wow. Never thought I'd see the day where you and I were on the same wavelength… but no, that's not why they're not going to like what we've unearthed."

She opened up the journal, "See here? Dye had noted that some of the initial funding for Rhodes's experiments actually came from the Counsel themselves. But at that time, Rhodes's proposal were more or less _pure_. Rhodes had insisted to them that any results were more of a _contribution_ towards the magical community. He had argued to the Counsel that the stigma of a vampire-wizard pregnancy was a _handicap_ and that he had every intention of using their funds to fix."

"Which means," Max said, "There's a possibility that exposing this crime to the public could make the Counsel look bad for even knowing about it, much less funding it."

Well, crap. There goes that extra money once the job was done.

But hey, who was I kidding? The moment I saw Juliet's name in the case file I knew that the job wasn't going to end well.

"So where do we go from here?" Max asked, "We can't report this to the Counsel. We can't go on with good conscious to let Juliet rot in jail. And we sure as hell can't ignore this whole Dye-Rhodes's conspiracy."

I allowed myself to stretch while my siblings waited for an answer from me. After a few moments passed, I grinned lazily at them. "Where's this 'we' coming from? _We_ are not doing anything. _I_ am the one that's going back there to save Dye from the Count Bitchula's clutches. _You two _are going to _stay here_ and figure out how to transform the poor guy back to his former glory."

I looked at the kitchen and felt my stomach growling. "But first, I'm hungry." I reached for my coat that was laid across the top of the couch, "Let's grab a burger or something…"

"Justin!" Alex snapped, "God you're such a bonehead!"

I raised a brow at Alex, "Old-school insult? Really? You're that worried about me?"

"Duh!" She growled, "I'd smack your head if I wasn't worried that you'd lose more brain cells than you already have! Do you even know the damage she caused? She used banewort on you. And obviously she knew what the hell she was doing because she gave enough just to fuck you up."

She stood up and forced me to look at her. Her brown eyes were glassy and her lips quivered. Damn it, she was going to cry and… I can't handle Alex crying. "Like it or not, Russo, there is a _we_. You and I, remember?" She casually waved a hand at Max, "And a cameo appearance by Maxie every now and again…"

"Love you too, sis." Max chuckled.

I groaned. Fuck, she had a point. "Fuck… you have a point."

She smiled and my heart lurched. Damn, I hate it when she's right.

"So," I looked down at her, "Can _we_ get something to eat first before _we_ figure out what _we're_ going to do to save Dye?"


	20. Chapter 20

**Just In Case File: 001 - Fangs For the Memories**

**Summary:** Justin Russo; brother, private eye, and family wizard. Welcome to his hell.

**Rating:** T for language, adult situation, and violence…

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing…

**_~~*~~_**

Believe it or not, Barry's brother, Skye, is a decent cook. And while we lived in a city that's a festive smorgasbord of dining, how are we to deny ourselves from greasy artery cloggers like hamburgers and fries? Especially since I did this major job for Barry a long time ago and she sanctioned that all drinks and food are on the house.

I had engorged on half a cow (not literally… sort of… four hamburgers, there you happy PETA?) before the mighty Russo trio had gotten around to a game plan.

"So remind me again," Alex stole a fry from me before pointing at the black pepper shaker on the table, "That's supposed to be Bubba, whose real name is Ronald?"

Max finished off his second beer before grabbing the ketchup bottle. "Nah, _this _is Bubba. That's Alfred." He winked at me, "Right, Batman?"

I shook my head at them, "God I need new sidekicks…"

"Need another burger, Justin?" Donna, one of the waitresses, flirted, to which I declined.

"Nah, but he'll get your number." Max smiled as he reached into his coat pocket for a pen.

"Ignore him, Donna," I said, "I'll have another beer though. Thanks."

Max watched her walk away, while I noted Alex rolling her eyes. I winked at her, "Jealous? Don't worry, you're still our number one girl, Al."

Alex scoffed, "Of that whore? Puh-leeze! At least these," she indicated to her chest, "are natural. Unlike hers and that Walgreens dye job…"

Max laughed while I gently reached over and hugged my insecure little sister. "Don't worry, Alex. One day she's going to lose that Coach bag to some random mugger."

She crossed her arms and huffed, "Bitch should lose more than just the bag… There are rules to a Ten Minute Sale, you know! If I still had my powers…"

"Speaking of which," Max interjected, "how exactly are you going to keep Alex safe during your half of the plan? She doesn't exactly have the advantage of taking out an armed bodyguard like you do."

Before I had a chance to explain, Alex (looking mighty offended) started reaching into her bag. The moment she pulled out her lighter, I immediately knocked it out of her hands.

She glared at me, "Hey!"

"Don't 'Hey' me, sister." I glared right back. "Remember what the fire marshal said the last time you tried that stunt? Not to mention what I had to do to persuade Barry to let you back in?"

Alex got a little sheepish. "Oh. Right… my bad."

I sighed. This was going to be a long night…

_**~~*~~**_

… that apparently was going to continue on until tomorrow afternoon.

Which seemed to be the perfect time to rescue Charles Dye from the Rhodes's basement.

Alex had filled me in as to what the rich barracuda had been up to immediately after I had gone "missing." One of Max's "friends" had planted a surveillance camera across the street from her building. From the looks of things (more so the many boxes and suitcases that were traveling in and out), it seemed that she was planning a trip. Destination? Get-the-fuck-out-of-town. Population? One psychopath and a demon spawn.

Remind me never to book with her agent.

With Max using his resources and Alex backing him up with additional phone calls, they had discovered that nearly every day Ivy Rhodes would leave the house around noon and return home around three o'clock to order her minions to pack and move boxes in and out of her building.

A three hour window of opportunity to strike? How hard can it be?

… yeah, I forgot that it's not the big bodyguard that we should be afraid of.

**_~~*~~_**

Getting inside was easy. I'm a wizard, duh. With the right frame of mind (I am capable of it every once in a while) and the right spell, I can transport myself anywhere. One of the catches, however, was that you had to actually _know_ what you're transporting into. It was a new magical mandate that had been passed by the Counsel. It was their "preemptive" measure against wizard thieves. Now, if you're not sure about the lay of the land, you could end up -- I don't know -- inside of a wall or something… It's kind of like that _Jumper_ movie. Except real life doesn't suck as hard as that film.

As we stood outside, amidst the shadows of the alley across the street from Rhodes's building, I double-checked my coat for all of my equipments; gun, wallet, potions…

"You got your puke bag, Al?" I teased, ready to head inside, before I reached for her hand.

"Bite me, Obi-Yawn." She snarled, but not before her tough bitch exterior melted and she latched herself tight against me. I smirked as I felt her arms squeeze around my waist.

Did I mention that it was _because_ of Alex and a group of her "Merry Men" that the Counsel enforced the mandate?

_**~~*~~**_

A spell and a _whoosh_ later…

It took half a second for my vision to adjust. Traveling between space and molecules and whatnot usually did a complete whackjob on your senses. For wizards it wasn't so bad because we're magically inclined. Non-wizards however…

"Oh God…" Alex retched into her paper bag.

I patted her back as I surveyed the entrance way of the Rhodes's suite. I sighed, missing Bubba already.

"Oh _wow_." She breathed as she finally realized where we were standing. She casually tossed the puke bag at me (I zapped it away somewhere mid-air) and started walking around. "Eat your heart out, Blair…"

I took note of the sparseness. "It was a lot more gawdy with the statues. And I believe she had a unicorn fountain in the middle of the common room. With mermaids that sang Disney songs."

Alex glanced back at me and winked, "Cute. Bet you tried to make-out with one of the mermaids and they rejected you because you probably kissed worse than a fish!"

I opened my mouth for a comeback when we both froze at the sound of footsteps descending the staircase at the end of the hallway. Quickly, I grabbed onto Alex with one hand and reached into my pocket for the invisibility powder. By the time Jonah and one of his assistants entered the scene, our backs literally were against the walls and our presences were invisible to all.

I leaned in close to Alex, whispering into her ear, "Stay close."

"Mrs. Rhodes," Jonah began dictating to his young protégé, "insists on all the packing to be done by tomorrow's end. Also, take note that this entire space must be _spotless_ upon inspection mid-day the following day. Mrs. Rhodes's realtor will be handling the inspection and let the staff know that if so much as a _speck_ is found, Mrs. Rhodes will _not_ be happy."

Jonah leaned in close to the young man, who looked like the typical Renfield, and stared him down. "And in the state that the Lady is in, you do _not_ want to do that. Understood?"

I glanced at Alex and saw her mouth a "Yikes."

"Good!" Jonah chirped and clapped his hands together. "Now, follow me. I must speak to her head of Security." With that, they strode themselves from the hallway and towards a far right door that was stationed between the dining and living room.

I felt Alex lean in close, her breath tickling my ear as she asked, "You remember where the entrance to the basement is located?"

I grasped onto Alex's hand. "Let's go." as I led her into the hidden door buried behind the coat closet.

I sighed. Boy I missed Bubba…

_**~~*~~**_

The staircase wasn't lit. So I allowed Alex to minimize her pyro antics and light the way. I had her following me from behind, my free hand twirling my silver wand at the ready.

I barely remembered what it was like the first time I descended these stairs, but the smell… Dear God the smell recalled the awful memory.

"Think he'll see us?" Alex asked tensely, her grip on my hand cutting the circulation.

I shrugged and tried to wiggle my hand to breathe. "If he was still in normal form, maybe. No telling with this form."

From the corner of my eye, I saw the scratch marks on the walls. I heard Alex gasp and saw her slightly tracing them with her own fingers. I gently tugged on her hand, "C'mon."

Most basements are typically two things; cluttered and dank. Of course, the owner of this building is anything but typical so…

Alex's mouth gaped at the sight of the surgical equipments, the test tubes, and the otherwise sterile half of the basement. "Wow…" she said.

"Alex…" I hissed, my eyes on the _other_ half of the basement. The half that housed what we had trespassed over for. The half that I was currently standing right in the middle of, and nearly three feet away from the cage of the beast.

She had tugged and released herself from my grasp to explore the medical equipment. This also meant the light she was carrying flickered to one side, and otherwise darkening _my_ side.

"Shit." I cursed before flicking my wand to allot for some light on my end. "Alex!" I whispered as harshly as possible.

I heard the creaking of cabinets and the whoosh of sliding drawers. She finally said something to me after I heard the suction pop of a fridge being opened. "Whoa… _that's_ a lot of blood…"

"Alex!"

"Wha-- oh… Holy _crap_."

Now she sees him.

I don't know which sight of him was worst; the one I had seen when the florescent overheads were on or this one currently masked in darkness. Either way, whether or not you could see his green and gnarled exterior, his eyes were still bright, still menacing… and still staring down at me as if I was breakfast.

"Is he--?" I felt Alex's body pressed up behind me. Her free hand cold as it grasped my shoulder.

I nodded and slightly gulped. "Yep. He's staring at me."

"Are we still invisible?"

"To the mortal eye, yes. But he's anything but right now so-- Oh _fuck_!" I pushed ourselves back, my free arm wrapping itself protectively around Alex, who had yelped in shock.

Though caged behind steel bars, it didn't stop him from extending a free claw to slash out in a vain attempt to pull me closer.

"Justin…" Alex tried not to whine in fear, "We have to sedate him or else he's gonna eat us."

Once I got my breathing back to normal, I nodded, "You have the sedatives in your bag."

The creature that was Dye began to throw a tantrum in its cell. His arms started thrashing, trying so hard to reach out and grab us. And… oh God, it was drooling…

"Justin… he smells…" Alex whimpered.

I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. I forgot how much of a girl Alex is. "I wasn't expecting him to smell like a bed of roses."

I felt her smack my back, "Okay, genius, if you're so wise and observant, then tell me. Fuckin' tell me how we're going to get angry, ugly, and stinky over there to take the sedatives without us losing -- I don't know -- a body part?!"

I grabbed a hold of her hand, "Chill, Al. I have an idea…. Ingestion. That's how we're going to get him to take the sedatives." I pointed my wand at the fridge, and instructed, "Go and grab a couple bags of blood. Then inject them with the sedatives."

As she shuffled towards her task, she asked, "What about you?"

I glanced towards the staircase, which is when I caught sight of the blinking security camera positioned overhead. Shit.

"Justin? What're--"

_Zap!_ Whoops. I glanced at Alex and shrugged sheepishly. "Shortages happen all the time."

She rolled her eyes in between sticking the syringe into the crimson bag. After she finished the first bag with the first vial of liquid sedative, I flicked my wand and watched the bag levitate towards the cage.

The creature watched us, despite immediately taking to the first bag. As if he knew what we were doing… and yet he continued to watch us with blue hungry eyes.

"How many bags should I inject?" she asked.

"How much blood does a human vessel contain?"

"Gross." she shuddered, despite already finishing six bags.

Between keeping an eye on Alex, keeping another eye on the Dye creature, I still managed to keep my ears to the floor above us. "Hurry, Alex. I don't know how long until Bubba realizes that I killed the basement camera's feed."

I said this as I was in mid-transport of bag number four.

It took seven bags for the creature to stop staring at us.

It took another three more for it to back away from the front of the cage and slump itself to the floor.

"Wow," Alex breathed, clutching at the steel examining table in shock. "Good thing you advised on a _cabinet's_ worth of drugs."

I slowly inched my way towards the steel lock, the only thing keeping us from Dye. I heard Alex's feet shuffle quickly to my side, and my immediate reaction was to push her away.

I didn't bother to glance back at the bewilderment in her eyes. "What're you--" she started to protest.

"Behind the table. _Now_." we heard a slight rumble, and knew that it came from Dye. "He's not entirely knocked out… yet. I'm just going to ease open the lock and wait for the big bad monster to go to sleep…"

We heard another rumbling noise, though this time it came from upstairs. Followed by heavy footsteps and a few profane words.

Shit.

I could feel Alex's fear as she cried, "Justin! They're coming!"

Quickly I melted the cast-iron lock on the cage door. But not before praying that the beast had fallen aslee--

Alex had gasped as light blindingly filled the area, starting from the staircase and down into this very room.

"Justin!" But she had screeched my name moments later as I was knocked down by a sharp bullet to the shoulder. I felt my body hit the floor, a few feet away from the cage door.

FUCK. That hurt…

"You again." Bubba snarled as he descended down the stairs.

Well, damn. There goes our invisibility…

"Miss me, big guy?" I winked while holding my wounded shoulder up. I glanced at Alex's feet, noticing that's where my wand had been knocked over. Shit… Guess that leaves hand magic.

"I told you, I don't do scrawny…"

He looked over at Alex and immediately pointed his silencer at her. Though his eyes were on her, his words were towards me. "But I can do goths…"

Alex grimaced at him. I saw her hands itching to grab her lighter that was a few inches away from her bag. "I'm _not_ a goth."

He took a step towards her, "But you are pretty--" His mouth couldn't finish the sentence because it kissed the metal counter as I bashed it in with my bare hands.

What? He broke my heart by going after my sister.

After I jumped off his back (because, really, how else could I have forced his head down?), I grinned smugly at my handiwork… Until he pushed himself up and faced me, bleeding mouth and all.

"Justin!" I heard Alex cry in warning.

Well, no shit he was going to attack me. Especially as he actually _smiled_ at me like Jack Nicholsan smiled through the chopped-up door.

Bubba grabbed my wounded arm and proceeded to make a pretzel out of it.

Oh FUCK! "Oh, fuck!" I screamed…

Or was it Bubba, as he suddenly released me and tried to extinguish himself out?

"I'll show you pretty!" I heard Alex cackle, lighter in one hand and flames dancing on her other.

What I tell you? Who needs magic when you can manipulate fire all on your own?

Alex, after putting out her own flames, rushed towards me. She started to say something, but her voice was drowned out the sounds of Bubba thrashing his body against the cage… and then screaming in terror.

Soon after, we heard the sickening sound of flesh being torn and blood being suckled.

We both turned our heads towards the sound, but it was Alex who looked away first. I wanted to comfort her, but who would comfort me as I watched Dye, no longer human and more goblin than anything, feed on the burning flesh that was Bubba the security guard like it was a chard steak?

Alex couldn't help herself. I didn't blame her. She started crying and even puked a little at the sight.

And that's when it realized we were still there.

The monster, mouth oozing with a mixture of drool and blood, kept its eyes on us. It still was chewing on muscle and tissue as it slowly got up on two legs. I can't begin to describe this thing… other than if you were to take Gollum and run him over a couple of times, this creature would be half as lucky to look as good.

I pulled Alex closer to me, her body quaking with fear. No way in hell was I letting this thing anywhere near her!

Its eyes burned into me, yet there was something more sinister than I was probably giving it credit for.

"Justin…" Alex hissed, "Get us out of here. Now…" I looked down at my wounded arm as I felt her shove our family wand into my hand.

For that second I turned my sights away from the creature, but that's all it took for its eyes to turn from primal to intelligent. Oh shit… this thing's smart.

I started to utter a spell to at least get Alex to safety, but it must've known my intentions because its eyes focused on Alex. No. No… no… No!

I tried to hold tight to her, but I never had a chance as her body flew into the metal fridge. Alex groaned in pain.

"Alex!" I started to scramble to my feet, but oh crap this piece of shit monster was good. Really good. As in it's keeping me at bay by some invisible force _good_.

"Justin!" I heard Alex cry out, her hand reaching for me. I wish I could reach back, but I felt the magical hold squeezing me tighter with each vain attempt to get free.

"Justin… Justin, please…" she whimpered. Despite the magical force holding her against the fridge door, she still fought against it by moving her body about.

The creature, its steps slow (whether intentional or maybe the drugs… hoping it was the drugs), was inching its way towards my sister.

"Alex," I started, the pain of my shoulder was nothing compared to the ache of my heart of what I was about to do. "Alex, sweetie, listen to me… Stay very still. Stop fighting it…"

"What?!" the panic and shock evident in her voice.

"Trust me. Stay still… stay very still for me… Okay, Alex? Do you trust me?"

Though I kept my gaze on the creature, who was only now two feet away from her and looming, I only had my eyes on her. She swallowed a sob and stopped moving per my instruction. Her face, stained with blood, tears, and puke, never looked more beautiful as she said, "I trust you."

My heart started racing… I had to do… it was the only way… God help me, Juliet, I'm so sorry…

"Close your eyes, Al…"

As she fluttered her eyes shut, she whispered, "I love you, dork."

I grinned, "Love you too, brat."

It was towering over her now. Its drool was salivating over her body. As its jaw started to descend, I quickly uttered a spell that would have disappointed my father…

_A screech…_

_A wail…_

_A boom…_

_**~~*~~**_

I don't remember much of that night.

I remember dying… for tequila. But then again, I was attune to Alex's state of being, so I was guessing she was craving the drink more than me.

I remember sirens. I remember the magical authorities busting in, due to an "anonymous tip" from the outside concerning illegal experimentations done with mortal sacrifices (or some other bullshit that Max feed them).

I also vaguely remember feeling satisfied in knowing that wherever Ivy Rhodes was, she was probably screeching in pain, probably lying in a pool of her own fetus's blood. Apparently, at least according to the final notes Alex had read in Dye's journal, one of the reasons why Ivy insisted on keeping Dye alive is so that she could use _his_ life force to extract the 'monster' essence that most unborn half-and-half's are blessed with. You know, like that Dorian Gray story? Dye was the ugly, gnarled, monstrous painting, and her baby was to be born pretty.

It was a theory that Rhodes and Dye figured out during Dye's last days as a human. Rhodes, at the time, had promised to reverse the process once the child had been delivered alive and healthy.

Yeah… and Rhodes, at the time, had every intentions of being there to see his child being born. Boy how the tides have turned.

Anyway… I also vaguely remember getting verbally chewed out by Chase Worth. For not only "fucking up the job," but also sullying the Rhodes's "good name" and blowing up the one major piece of evidence that could have saved Juliet.

I remember Chase's words of "Because that's what they had actually hoped as the end results of your investigation."

To which I think I remember Alex grabbing her lighter _and_ Chase's crotch…

Other than that… I don't remember much of that night.

_**~~*~~**_


	21. Epilogue

_**~~*~~**_

**Epilogue**

A Week or So Later…

"Hey, handsome," Barry drops another drink on my table. She nods her head at the door, "Something like trouble is looking for you."

I was too involved in my drinking to not have caught her scent. Fuck… this is worst than trouble; this was death's mistress.

And God help me but she was a beauty in black.

"Juliet." I acknowledged her, and trying desperately not to stare.

Juliet Van Heusen. Alive. Beautiful. Free.

Despite Chase's rants about how we had "ruined" Juliet's chance for freedom, there had been a _lot_ of mounting evidence to support the story Alex and I had to tell. You know, the story about the power hungry couple that wanted a half-and-half so badly that they had done everything including murder, blackmail, illegal experimentations to get that child.

The Counsel, wanting a lesser of the two evils (because sadly, our story wasn't as bad as what would have happened in the future were Ivy Rhodes successfully birth a monster), immediately processed Juliet's release and sent out a P.R. to the mortal realm to explain to the "humans" about the Rhodes's plot to have a child using murder, blackmail, and _adultery_ (with Rhodes's sperm count low, Ivy having an affair with Dye, Juliet _and _Rhodes finding out, Rhodes killing Dye, Juliet being witness to Rhodes's murder by his pregnant wife, Ivy threatened to abort Dye's child unless Juliet takes the blame, Juliet goes to jail a martyr).

Obviously _our_ side of the story is a lot less complicated, and a lot more kick-ass. But, hey, what can you do? Humans! Go figure…

But back to a sight I'd never thought I'd see in the flesh.

"Justin." she replied and sat herself down across from me in my booth. Her body language screamed pain and anger, though her eyes cried sorrow and heartbreak.

I held my drink up, "You looked better in yellow."

She smoothed her black dress; an attire common for those in mourning but damn she looked like a vixen. "You looked better dead."

I gave her a quizzical look, to which she replied without joke, "In my dreams I killed you."

"Was that before or after you found out I killed your fiance?"

She looked away before meeting me with cold eyes, "I think it was the night after your visit with me in jail." She sniffed, "I should have known then that you wouldn't have done what I asked of you."

I couldn't help myself. My body was still sore from being shot. My sister almost got eaten alive. The Counsel was pissed that I cost them a shit load of money in clean-up (both literally and P.R.-wise). I was pissed that I lost a shit load of money despite my good intentions.

I couldn't help it. I snapped at her. "What? Asked to let you rot in jail for a crime you didn't commit? Asked to ignore a psycho bitch's plan to release a fetus that could grow into a flesh-eating goblin?"

"You should have let it go, Justin." She hissed. "Because of you, my Charlie is _dead_."

"That _thing _almost killed Alex. That _thing_ was a dangerous creature with a hunger for human blood like vampires, yet had the evil mind of a powerful wizard. That _thing_ I blew into tiny pieces was _not_ your 'Charlie.'" I hissed back.

I could feel her rage and I almost welcomed it. "Justin Russo--"

"Your Charles was a good man," I said, despite still angry and desperately wanting to throw a punch. "That _thing_ you sacrificed your life over was not him."

She looked away when I uttered those words. She knew I was right… and yet…

Juliet played with the ring on her finger. The diamond sparkled blindingly, much like Alex's.

I knew she would never forgive me for what I had done. And God help me, I didn't blame her.

"How's Alex?" she whispered.

To say I was a little surprised by her question was an understatement. I took a sip of my beer, "Her bratty self. I owe her a new leather jacket…" because I blew up your fiance and chunks of himself stained her old jacket, but I didn't quite say that part out loud.

She nodded and I watched her play with her ring. "The Counsel said that you had no other option…"

"He was going after Alex."

Juliet gave a small smile. She twisted her ring a little, "That was a dangerous spell you performed, apparently black magic-worthy, huh?"

I could feel my eyes darkened. "I couldn't get to her in time. I had no other choice."

She finally looked up at me, her own eyes cloudy with emotion. "That was the same thing I told myself over and over again in jail. As to my reason for taking the blame on a crime I didn't commit. On a crime done by a creature I couldn't recognize. Because I couldn't get to my Charlie in time. I had no other options to do right by what remained of him, monster or not…"

I watched Juliet slid out of the booth. I knew deep in my gut that the moment she walked out that door, I would never see her again. At least not in my lifetime.

To my shock, she leaned close and gave me a light kiss on the cheek. I felt her breath, warm yet cold, tickle my ear as she whispered, "Funny what we tell ourselves about the choices we make for the one's we love…"

And then she was gone.

Leaving nothing behind but the memories.

**_~~*~~_**

They say sometimes monsters are born… and sometimes they are made… I look in the mirror everyday and I know that, good wizard or not, I am one of _them_.

Welcome to my hell.

END OF JUST IN CASE FILE: 001

_**~~*~~**_

A/N: Thank you all for reading my story! Woohoo! I've never been more pleased to have contributed to this wonderful community! Here's to hoping that I can do more... I mean, hell, at least expect more "Just In Case File" stories... As always, let me know what you think! I do enjoy the reviews, but I actually would enjoy more or less knowing how you felt about my story. Thank you again and until next time!


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